Chhattisgarh govt suspends licenses of 99 liquor shops, bars

Cracking the whip on illicit liquor trade in the state, the Chhattisgarh Government has suspended licenses of 99 liquor shops and bars.
The Excise department is conducting raids under a special drive and has suspended licenses of as many as 99 shops selling country-made as well as foreign liquor and bars, for varying time period, official sources said here today.
In total, action is taken against 35 country-made liquor shops, 16 foreign liquor shops and 48 bars.
"The Excise department has been conducting raids at various hotels, 'dhabas' and licensed shops across the state since the last fifteen days as part of the special drive," said Ganesh Shankar Mishra, Commissioner, Department of Commercial (Excise).

As many as 568 cases, in which irregularities were detected, were submitted before respective district collectors.
Mishra said 51 licenses have been suspended on serious charges in eleven districts including Raipur, Durg, Bemtera, Dhamtari, Mahasamund, Kabirdham, Narayanpur, Raigadh, Jashpur, Sarguja and Korea, while the drive is on in other districts.
He said the licenses have been suspended for period ranging from one-day to three days. Mishra said a penalty of Rs 10,000 each has been imposed in five cases in Sarguja district.