Yamunanagar hooch deaths: 36 held, wholesale country liquor licence of trader cancelled, says Vij

Home minister Anil Vij was responding to a calling attention notice by INLD MLA Abhay Chautala and others in this regard

: Haryana home minister Anil Vij on Monday told the House that 36 people have been arrested by the police in five criminal cases pertaining to the death of 22 persons due to consumption of spurious liquor in Yamunanagar recently.

Yamunanagar hooch deaths: 36 held, wholesale country liquor licence of trader cancelled, says Vij (HT Photo)

The home minister was responding to a calling attention notice by INLD MLA Abhay Chautala and others in this regard. The opposition MLAs, however, looked unsatisfied with the reply.

“The accused are in judicial custody. Compensation of ₹32 lakh has been awarded to dependents of eight deceased so far under DAYALU scheme, while the rest are under process. The excise department has initiated action by levying penalty of ₹2.51 crore on L-13 licencee (wholesale country liquor licence) M/s Mahender Singh in Yamunanagar and cancelling his licences for 11 zones,” the minister said.

Speaking about the ongoing inquiry by Haryana anti-corruption bureau (ACB) into the findings of a special enquiry team (SET) which looked into the theft of liquor from a temporary warehouse at Kharkhoda-Matindoo Road in Sonepat during 2020 pandemic lockdown, the minister said ACB would look into the complicity of the excise officials as well as collusion on the part of police officials in huge unauthorised movement of liquor during lockdown.

“During this state-wide inquiry, the ACB has gathered relevant records including the details of cases registered by the police in this matter. The ACB has recorded statements of liquor contractors, officials of excise and taxation department, gazetted and non-gazetted officials of police department and persons related to distilleries, breweries and bottling plants to identify persons involved along with their specific roles in the whole matter,” he said.

The home minister said that as per a December 16 status report, the ACB has sought some records from the excise and taxation department and other departments. Once the records are received, the final inquiry report will be submitted. The ACB has also informed that several petitions are also pending in the Punjab and Haryana high court in this matter, he said.