Hyderabad: Ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, Telangana is witnessing a surge in illegal sale of liquor. Kirana shops and residential premises have been found to function as clandestine liquor outlets alongside wine shops. Most model code of conduct violation cases reported in Telangana primarily involve kirana shops and houses stockpiling and illegally vending liquor at inflated prices.
Enforcement agencies have so far confiscated liquor worth 28.7 crore. Police and flying squads have seized 1.7 lakh litres of liquor valued at 4.6 crore, while the prohibition and excise department seized 9.2 lakh litres, amounting to 24.1 crore.
As per the chief electoral officer of Telangana data, the modus operandi of liquor-related infractions includes selling liquor without a licence, selling alcohol to minors, operating on dry days, trading beyond authorized hours, and conducting transactions in public spaces. For example, in Rangareddy district police had apprehended Srinath Jadhav, proprietor of Godavari Kirana Shop at Auto Nagar Vanasthalipuram, for selling liquor at inflated rates. Police seized 55 whiskey bottles in the operation.
In another instance, Ramagoud, owner of a kirana shop in Chillarigi village in Nizamabad district, admitted to illegally selling liquor without government sanction and overcharging customers.
An excise official said, “Under the Excise Act, cases are filed when individuals or establishments are found possessing, selling, or consuming alcohol unlawfully.”
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