CM asks police to nab kingpins of liquor trade

PATNA: Chief minister Nitish Kumar on Wednesday asked top police officers to identify the kingpins and big suppliers of liquor in state and ensure their immediate arrest. The state government has enforced total prohibition in Bihar since April 5, 2016.
Holding a meeting with state's top police officials to review the cases related to prohibition and police station-wise crime, the CM also ordered installation of CCTV cameras and automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) machines at strategic points on selected major roads in the state to check liquor smuggling from outside Bihar.

"Pawns operating on the front of the liquor trade are being easily caught, but the kingpins are scot-free. Police will have to identify big suppliers and mafias involved in the illegal trade and demolish their entire system and supply chain. Even if 10 to 20 big suppliers and kingpins are caught, the liquor trade will automatically be demolished," Nitish told the police officials.

The CM also ordered quick destruction of liquor and related materials seized by different police stations in the state. He asked the state's home, prohibition and excise department's principal secretary, Amir Subhani (who was present in the meeting), to look into the matter and issue necessary directive to the district magistrates who have major role in issuing orders for destruction of seized liquor and related materials.

Earlier, through a PowerPoint presentation, the police officials informed the CM that the state has reported threefold rise in liquor-related cases and fourfold increase in the number of arrests in related crimes. The CM was also informed about the manyfold increase in recovery of country-made and India made foreign liquor. Muzaffarpur zone has topped in the state in recovery of liquor.

During the meeting, police officers made suggestions for setting up 24x7 check posts on the interstate borders to stop entry of liquor-laden vehicles from other states. They also suggested for installation of CCTV cameras and automatic number plate recognition machines on all major roads. To this, the CM said CCTV cameras and ANPR machines should be installed on only those major roads where it was necessary. "These tools will be effective also in controlling other crimes besides enforcing prohibition," Nitish told the officials.

The state government recently created an exclusive post of IG (prohibition) for monitoring and reviewing the cases and issues related to prohibition and illegal trade of liquor. The CM asked the home (police) department to make available necessary work force and resources to the newly created office of the IG (prohibition) to make it more effective.

Nitish further asked the information technology department to provide necessary infrastructure to the office of IG (prohibition) so that it could expedite the work of intelligence gathering.