Liquor langar in Chandigarh Sector 9: 2 days on, contractor arrested

The notice warns that failure to respond may lead to ex-parte proceedings and possible suspension or cancellation of the licence

A 53-year-old resident of Saketri village, Panchkula, was arrested two days after videos of vodka-laced ice lollies being served free of cost to people in a market in Sector 9, Chandigarh, surfaced on social media.

The accused, Rajesh Sachdeva, 53, had allegedly organised the ‘liquor langar’. He is the proprietor of the liquor shop in Sector 9, police said. (Sourced)

The accused, Rajesh Sachdeva, 53, had allegedly organised the ‘liquor langar’. He is the proprietor of Liquor World Wine Shop in Sector 9, police said.

Licence at risk

The UT excise and taxation department also issued a show-cause notice to the accused, stating that the act was in violation of multiple sections of the Punjab Liquor Licence Rules, 1956, as applicable to Chandigarh. Under Rule 37(2), a licensee is prohibited from carrying out any business related to liquor outside the licensed premises, while Rule 37(10) bars offering free liquor or any form of inducement to customers.

The department has also flagged violation of Clause 68 of the Excise Policy 2026-27, which strictly prohibits advertisement or promotion of liquor through any means, including social media. The policy further holds the licensee directly responsible for any photos, videos or digital content depicting sale or promotion of liquor from their premises, regardless of whether it was created by a third party. Officials said such violations attract a penalty of ₹5 lakh per instance, apart from stricter action under the law.