The Election Commission today ordered closure of five distilleries in Punjab until the assembly elections are over, days after more than one lakh bottles of liquor were seized in one of the biggest seizures of alcohol in Bathinda.
"The Commission has ordered closure of five distilleries. The production and dispatching of liquor in these distilleries have been stopped till the elections are over," Punjab Chief Electoral Officer V K Singh told reporters here.
The five distilleries and bottling plants, which have been shut down, are BCL Industries in Bathinda, Patiala Distillers and bottlers in Patiala, Adi Brownson Breweries, Kiri Afgana in Gurdaspur, United Spirits, Moonk in Sangrur and Pernod Ricord Gholumajra in Mohali, an official said.
Singh said that liquor in huge quantity had been recovered in several parts of Punjab including Pathankot, Hoshiarpur, Ludhiana and Jalandhar ahead of assembly polls.
"The source of supply of (illegal) liquor to vends from where the seizure was made have been established and five distilleries have been stopped temporarily. Liquor trade is regulated and no one can take out even one bottle without permission," said Singh.
After the code of conduct came into force, the Election Commission launched a crackdown on the illegal supply of liquor for luring voters during Punjab assembly polls.
In one of the biggest seizures of alcohol in Punjab, the state excise department on Saturday recovered over one lakh bottles of liquor in Bathinda district, brought from multiple states like Haryana, Arunachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh.
Besides, 1,000 cases of liquor in Hoshiarpur and 2,100 cartons from Pathankot were also recovered. Liquor distribution slips were also recovered in Jalandhar and Samrala in Ludhiana.
The haul of illegal liquor was made after the Election Commission ordered state-wide drive to check distribution of liquor during high-stakes assembly polls in Punjab.
Asked about any action in case of Bathinda seizure, Punjab Additional Director General of Police V K Bhawra said police was investigating the matter and action would be taken against the owners of go-down from where the liquor bottles were recovered.
Polling will be held in Punjab in a single phase on February 4 and results will be declared on March 11.
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Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) V K Singh said the decision to shut down five distilleries was taken after preliminary investigations conducted in the record haul of liquor in Bathinda district.
"Only those distilleries have been told to stop the dispatch whose liquor was found in the raid," he said.
Singh said that the ECI was fully determined to check the flow of liquor and narcotics during the election period and all static and flying squads have been told to ensure proper checking.
Seeking the cooperation of public in this noble endeavour, the CEO said every citizen can provide information regarding distribution of liquor and narcotics and prompt action would be taken after the information.
