With Maharashtra witnessing an intense contest in the first multi-polar election to happen after three decades, political parties and candidates may be taking to bribing voters in a big way with booze to ensure success in a fight where narrow margins may make or break fortunes.
The state excise department has caught liquor and material to the tune of Rs 7.86 crore ever since the code of conduct was implemented since September 12. When compared to the Rs 7.66 crore seizure during the entire 51 days that the code of conduct was in force during the Lok Sabha polls, this figure is significantly higher.
In 29 days, the state excise department has seized 20,060 bulk litres (BL) of Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) to the tune of Rs 99.27 lakh, and 12,877 BL of country liquor and a huge stash of 97,461 BL hooch worth Rs 25 lakh and Rs 53.90 lakh respectively. The seizures, which have seen 5,741 raids and 3,036 arrests, have resulted in a stash of 3446.42 BL of Beer (Rs 5.84 lakh), 3361.18 BL spirit valued at 2.07 lakh and 21,219 BL toddy costing Rs 4.43 lakh being unearthened along 14.54 lakh BL of raw materials for manufacturing illicit liquor worth at Rs 3.14 crore.
The total value of the seizures, including vehicles is Rs 7.86 crores. With polling due to happen on October 15, senior state excise officials said they expected cases to rise. During the Lok Sabha elections, the value of the total seizure was Rs. 7.66 crores in 51 days, in a crackdown which saw 6,286 raids, 5,714 cases being registered and 3,082 being arrested."We took massive action in initial the days, which led to the number of new cases coming down gradually. We have sealed all borders and round-the-clock vehicle checking is on," said a senior state excise official, adding that 79 border check posts had been established across Maharashtra's borders with eight states and union territories.
The department is also video-graphing checking at all check posts. "While cash seized by teams set up by police and income tax officials is returned in case it can be accounted for, in case of liquor, the seizure and vehicles are confiscated and the people involved are arrested. This may have led to a paucity of transporters to ferry liquor," the officials said. State excise teams nabbed vehicles containing liquor from Punjab at Dhule while vehicles containing the brew manufactured in Haryana and Goa were seized at Thane.
"We have also caught two-wheelers and cars containing families which were being used to move liquor to Maharashtra from Daman and Goa," the official said, adding that the elections in Haryana had led to a decline in the illicit transport of liquor from that state to Maharashtra.
"This checking may have served as a deterrent," he said, adding that the Election Commission of India (ECI) had asked for CCTV cameras to be put up in manufacturies and wholesalers to keep a check on the movement of alcohol. Maharashtra authorities are also collaborating with their counterparts in other states to curb liquor smuggling.
Liquor retailers who record daily sales of over 50% of their average are also being served notices and being asked to explain the spike. In 2013-14, IMFL consumption rose by 7.84% to end at 1,615.06 lakh BL in 2013-14 versus 1,497.62 lakh BL in 2012-13. The sales of beer have however headed south at just 2,986.09 lakh BL in 2013-14 down from 3,169.34 lakh BL in the previous fiscal (-5.78%), while country liquor (CL) too fell to 3,210.97 lakh BL from 3382.99 lakh BL (-5.08%). However, wine consumption rose by 9.71% to end at 50.56 lakh BL from the previous 46.08 lakh BL.
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