LIQUOR SHOPS OVERCHARGE, FLOUT NORMS; NO ACTION

Jaipur: In two back-toback sting operations conducted by First India last week, it has been exposed that right under the nose of excise inspectors, liquor is now available in state capital round the clock.

According to rules of the excise department, liquor shops can be open only from 10 am to 8 pm. Besides, the name of the licensee, the rate of liquor available, POS machine, CCTV camera and the name of the district excise officer concerned, and his mobile number should be mentioned on these shops.

Not only this, all the salesmen working in shop should also haveapproved servant permit from excise department. There should not be any kind of tempting advertisement on shop, size of shop and size of hoarding on it should also be approved by department. Also, this liquor shop should not be within 200 mtrs of any religious place, school, college, hospital, scheduled caste tribe settlement and labour colony.

However, in a total of 404 shops approved by excise dept, these rules are scarcely followed.

In second sting operation conducted by First India team on May 27, situation turned out to be screaming. We found not just serious negligence or collusion of excise officials but dark truth of fearless liquor traders also came to the fore.

Liquor is now available 24 hrs in capital and arbitrary rates are being collected. What is worse is fact that excise inspectors have turned a blind eye.

Team of First India first reached shop of licensee Pankaj Saini in Gandhi Path Vaishali after 8:00 pm on May 27 and saw liquor was being sold openly here.

Team bought a bottle of Tuborg Classic beer from here, whose printed rate is Rs 155, while licensee charged Rs 200, that too after 8.45 pm. A video of beer being sold after 8 pm & online payment receipt are available as evidence.

After this, at shop of Sahil Arora located at Karni Palace 200 Feet Road, Tuborg Strong Beer was sold at 8:52 pm for Rs 160 instead of Rs 145. Later, at shop of licensee Lokesh Chopra on Amrapali Marg, at 8.58 pm, Officer’s Choice quarter bottle worth Rs 105 was sold for Rs 120.

At shop of licensee Someshwar Singh in Big Bazaar Vaishalinagar at 9.04 pm, Tuborg Strong Beer was given at Rs 170 instead of Rs 145. On Tirupati Nagar Kalvad Road, licensee Amandeep’s shop was found open at 10.06 pm.

First India has broadcast video with online payment receipts at time of purchase.