Bihar: Liquor fine for first time offenders reduced to Rs 2,000-5,000

Cracking whip against alcohol consumers in Bihar, where liquor is banned under the Prohibition Act, state government on Monday announced new measures against first-timers and repeat offenders.

Sanjay Kumar, ACS Education and Cabinet of Bihar on Monday said that if a person is caught drinking alcohol for the first time, he or she will be fined Rs 2000 to Rs 5000.

Earlier, the fine was Rs 50,000 for first-time offenders, as per an amendment made in 2018.

Kumar also said that the person has to undergo 30-days imprisonment if they do not agree to pay the fine. “If a person is caught drinking alcohol for 2nd time, he/she to undergo one year imprisonment,” he said.

As per the Bihar Prohibition and Excise Amendment 2022, if a first-time offender fails to pay the fine, then they can be imprisoned for a month.

The Bihar government last week introduced the Bihar Prohibition and Excise (Amendment) Bill 2022 in the state legislative assembly, making provisions for certain relaxations for first-time offenders.

The amendments, however, mentioned a harsher punishment for habitual offenders and those involved in illicit trade of alcohol in the 'dry' state. Sub-section 50A has been added in Section 2 of Bihar Prohibition and Excise Act 2016, treating sale of alcohol as 'organized crime'.

There have been three major changes in the existing Act. First, people found in inebriated condition will not be directly sent to judicial custody but released on payment of fine imposed by the executive magistrates appointed by the government.

Significantly, in the last few weeks, the Supreme Court has come down heavily on the state government over the prohibition law in Bihar. The Supreme Court slammed the state over piling up of liquor cases, especially those regarding bail, in the courts.