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Punjab police yet to share details of illegal liquor trade cases with ED
Agency sources say they are ready to move court if Punjab police don’t share details
Almost a month before the hooch tragedy struck, the Enforcement Directorate had shot off a letter to the Punjab Police, seeking details of illicit liquor trade cases registered at various police stations of the state.
The move had come days after an illegal liquor bottling plant was busted in Ghanaur constituency of Patiala, in which a Congress sarpanch and an aide of the ruling party MLA were booked.
Sources in the ED, on the condition of anonymity, revealed that the Punjab Police has so far not provided them any information, due to which the probe is getting delayed. The officials said that they are focusing on 11 FIRs registered at police stations in Patiala, Khanna and Ludhiana and have also asked the police to share details of the accused in the Hooch tragedy as prima-facie, there seems to be a nexus.
“We have written to the Punjab police but if they don’t share the details with us soon, we will move court,” said an official privy to the investigation.
The central agency officials are also suspecting the role of distilleries in the state. An illegal distillery busted in Khanna and another one in Khadur village of Ludhiana is also under ED lens.
“As per a conservative estimate, the accused in the Ghanaur illegal distillery case had earned Rs 100 crore in the last five months,” said an excise official, pleading anonymity. Congress sarpanch Amrik Singh and Dipesh Kumar of Rajpura, an aide of a ruling party MLA, were booked in the case. Dipesh, who is believed to be the kingpin of the racket, has been arrested.
The agency has also asked the excise and taxation department about the details of ENA manufacturing and supply chain.
When contacted, Khanna senior superintendent of police Harpreet Singh said that he has to check the records and only then can he comment on the matter. Similarly, Patiala’s new SSP Vikramjit Singh Duggal said that he will ask his SP (investigation) to give details on the matter.
Ludhiana-based RTI activist Kuldeep Singh Khaira who also filed complaint with ED demanding probe into nexus said that it has created doubt over intentions of the Punjab government and police seems to be dragging their feet to share the details . “They must share it if they really want to curb the menace,” he said.
