Hooch tragedy: Congress Rajya Sabha MPs Partap Singh Bajwa and Shamsher Singh Dullo meet Punjab governor VP Singh Badnore to demand CBI probe

CHANDIGARH: Two Congress Rajya Sabha MPs – Partap Singh Bajwa and Shamsher Singh Dullo - took pot-shots at their own state government over the hooch tragedy, claiming that a liquor mafia was operational in Punjab. The two met with governor VP Singh Badnore on Monday to demand an inquiry by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Enforcement Directorate (ED).

The two also referred to the functioning of illegal distilleries in Punjab. “The first illegal distillery was found at Khanna, the second at Rajpura and the third at Ghanaur. Interestingly, Rajpura and Ghanaur are both part of Patiala which is the home district of the CM and the parliamentary constituency of his wife,” said the letter.

“The chief minister (Amarinder Singh) is clearly unaware of what is going on in his own district. Excise and police officers are not aware of the same and both departments are headed by the CM himself. It needs to be pointed out that no fair investigation could ever be conducted by officers from the same departments,” they claimed in a letter to the governor.
The functioning of illegal distilleries in the home district of the chief minister speaks volumes of lawlessness and administrative failure of the government, they said.
Both Bajwa and Dullo are former Punjab Congress presidents.
“The CM claims to have acted against the liquor mafia over the last few months on basis of some FIRs registered all over the State. However, had the police and excise acted effectively, the manufacture and circulation of illegal liquor would have stopped and all the real culprits would be imprisoned,” they added.
The MPs urged Badnore to send a recommendation to the Centre to let the CBI as well as the ED investigate the production and distribution of illegal liquor in Punjab.
“We have written the letter to highlight the existence of the liquor mafia in Punjab to seek immediate action. For several months now, there have been reports of loss to the public exchequer due to smuggling of liquor by licensed distilleries, functioning of illegal distilleries and production of spurious liquor in Punjab,” he added.
Bajwa added, “We have raised this issue as it shows a clear-cut failure of the administrative machinery in the State. We have written letters to the CM…”
The two Congress leaders alleged that there has been blatant smuggling of liquor from Punjab to other states especially during the COVID lockdown period. This has resulted in the massive loss of revenue to the state of Punjab.
“The death of these persons (in the hooch tragedy), is not a mere accident but cold-blooded murder committed due to the greed of the mafia. Spurious liquor was being manufactured and sold all over the state. However, neither the excise department nor the police department were aware of the same,” said Bajwa.
“The CM heads the excise and the home department. Smuggling, functioning of illegal distilleries, production and circulation of spurious liquor cannot be done without the active connivance of officers of Excise and Taxation Department as well as Police Department,” Bajwa later told media persons.