Enforcement Directorate (ED) has provisionally attached immovable and movable properties worth ₹20.38 crore of a liquor manufacturing unit at Saharanpur’s Tapri. The distillery belongs to Cooperative Company Limited (CCL) and the action was taken under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, ED officials in Lucknow confirmed on Tuesday.
Sharing a press note, the officials informed that the ED investigation was based on two FIRs registered in Saharanpur against directors and employees of the company for the sale of illegal country liquor manufactured by CCL.
The ED investigation further revealed that the CCL officials, in collusion with CL-2 warehouse owners, conspired to make forged bar and QR codes for the supply of illegal ‘desi’ liquor. The liquor was sold to various liquor shops and markets without any paperwork with an intent to evade state excise duty thereby causing a loss of ₹34.73 crore to the state exchequer.