Patna: While imposing total prohibition in the state in 2016, excise and police officials were given wide powers to prevent storage, transportation and distribution of liquor in the state. The violators of the tough law are arrested immediately and bail is not possible before six months in jail.
Since then, there had been 1.33 lakh cases of prohibition law violation in the state, however only 141 have been convicted. Those convicted included a brigadier, an MLA, illicit liquor manfucaturer. However, the transportation, storage and supply continues even now. And, the police stations and the official residences of the station house officers have turned into illegal liquor market. State government has dismissed 400 police officers and men posted at different police stations on liquor trade charges.
Last week, the entire 40 officers and staff of Motipur police station in Muzaffarpur were sacked as the police found 500 cartoons of Indian made foreign liquor from the residence of the SGO, Amitabh Kumar. Tirhut range IG of police said the police men were engaged in sale of the liquor seized from illegal traders who had brought liquor from Punjab recently. They were found stored at the official residence of the SH, who kept his house locked and switched off his mobile sets when IG raided his house.
At Baikunthpur police station in neighbouring Siwan district, an SHO was caught by district SP engaged in selling liquor to traders. He was negotiating for 25 cartoons. He along with four other police officers have been arrested. The district SP of Rohtas arrested eight excise and police officers on NH 2 negotiating with a truck driver who was carrying liquor from Haryana.
They had allowed passage of the truck after they got their commission. SP caught them red handed and sent them to jail. Entire staff of Phulwarisharif police station in Patna was removed following discovery of liquor sale trade from the police station. The chief minister, Nitish Kumar recently held meeting with the senior officials of police and excise departments and directed them to impose sections of the IPC and Excise rules prescribing maximum possible punishment on the uniformed vilators.
Meanwhile, the district SP of Gopalganj, Nilesh Kumar on late Saturday night sealed the official residence of the station house officer, Awadesh Kumar, posted at Kuchaikot police station and some rooms too have been sealed.
