DISTRICT EXCISE officials have arrested a police informer who allegedly forced a pan shop-owner to sell marijuana and liquor.
Accused Shyamlal, resident of Shiv Nagar, has been booked under Section 34 (2) of MP Excise Act 1915 and sent to jail. Excise Department recovered seven cartons of country liquor, small quantity of marijuana and a diary containing names of police officials last week.
Peeved at the arrest of their informer, police department made several calls to excise officials to release Shyamlal but the latter refused to budge on finding out that the accused forced ordinary people to sell psychotropic drugs, illicit liquor and made money under police cover. Despite being aware of his unlawful act, police did little to check Shyamlal, they argued.
It all started a few months ago when Shyamlal asked a pan shop owner Satyendra to sell drugs and liquor from his shop in his two-room house at Shiv Nagar (Sanyogitaganj thana area). His wife works as a domestic help. When Satyendra refused, he placed small pouch of marijuana at the pan shop, called the police and got him arrested.
The police allegedly asked for Rs 10,000 to release Satyendra. So he borrowed the sum from the market to free himself. Next day, Shyamlal was back at Satyendra’s shop and threatened him to send him to jail again if he refused his offer. Satyendra succumbed and Shyamlal began selling marijuana and illicit liquor from the pan shop. The accused would sit at the shop, sell and collect the money at the end of day without giving a penny to Satyendra.
{{/usCountry}}The police allegedly asked for Rs 10,000 to release Satyendra. So he borrowed the sum from the market to free himself. Next day, Shyamlal was back at Satyendra’s shop and threatened him to send him to jail again if he refused his offer. Satyendra succumbed and Shyamlal began selling marijuana and illicit liquor from the pan shop. The accused would sit at the shop, sell and collect the money at the end of day without giving a penny to Satyendra.
{{/usCountry}}The excise personnel first arrested Satyendra and his interrogation led to Shyamlal’s arrest. “Police need money and information and Shyamlal provided both,” Satyendra is reported to have told excise police.
When contacted, Assistant Excise Commissioner Vinod Raghuvanshi admitted that action has been taken against Shyamlal.