Navi Mumbai: Around 15 liquor outlets in Thane district, including five in Navi Mumbai, have continued to sell liquor despite their supply being halted due to unpaid bills. There are suspicions that these shops may be involved in the illegal procurement of liquor.
Balasaheb Borkar, the Secretary of the Maharashtra NCP, has written to Excise Minister Shambhuraje Desai, the Excise Commissioner, the Collector, and other relevant officials, urging them to conduct an inquiry. Borkar alleges that these shops are illicitly sourcing liquor, resulting in a loss of revenue for the state government.
According to Borkar, the supply to these 15 liquor outlets in Thane was discontinued due to outstanding bills. Despite this, these outlets have continued to sell liquor. This raises the question of where the stock for sale is coming from, especially considering that around ₹28 crore in bills are overdue.
Borkar's complaint highlights that traders appointed by the Excise Department to supply liquor to outlets in Thane have halted their deliveries to those with unpaid bills for the past 15 days. Notable among these outlets in Navi Mumbai are Bipasha Wines, Manoj Wines, Yogesh Wines, Cheers Wines, and M. G. Vines. Borkar specifically points out that from October 16 to 30, these shops received no supply, yet they continued selling liquor.
Nexus between liquor outlets and officials?
According to the information received, all these liquor outlets are under the management of a single group, suggesting a potential nexus between these outlets and officials from the excise department.
In his written complaint, Borkar alleges that there is a possibility of illegal liquor stock being supplied for sale with the complicity of authorities even after traders ceased supplying them. He claims that taking proper action against these outlets and closing any existing loopholes could potentially double the government's revenue.
