Liquor sale: 3 DSIDC staff get two-yr jail for irregularities

Special Judge B R Kedia handed two-year jail term to Ram Dayal, Pawan Kumar and Hari Om and imposed a fine of Rs 7,000 each after finding them guilty under various sections of Prevention of Corruption Act, IPC and Excise Act.

The trio were found involved in irregularities in liquor sale including stock mismanagement and non-display of warning against consumption of liquor at public place.

The prosecution case was that an information was received by officials of Delhi government's Anti-Corruption Branch about gross irregularities in liquor sale at the DSIDC vend at Najafgarh.

A surprise check at the liquor vend revealed that stock register was not properly maintained and cash memos were not issued to customers, the prosecution said. A sum of Rs 25,466 was also found in excess of the amount shown in the register.

Ram Dayal, the in-charge of the liquor vend, along with its attendants Hari Om and Pawan Kumar were present at the time of the raid.

Physical checking of the stock revealed certain brands of liquor were in excess while stock of some brands was less. Empty bottles of liquor with loose caps and intact seals were found in a carton for which no record was maintained in violation of the Excise Act, the prosecution said.

The accused had also neither displayed the price list nor any board warning that consumption of liquor at public place was punishable, it said.

The trio was unable to explain the mismanagement of stock, empty bottles, excess cash, personal cash entry and other irregularities.

"Non-issuance of cash memos, non-maintenance of cash declaration register, non-display of price list of liquor and warning on notice board against taking liquor in public place is a punishable offence," the court said, while holding the trio guilty.