Liquor shops in the State which resorted to illegal sales during the lockdown period will now face the music. The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the State legislature on Tuesday directed the Finance Department to book criminal cases against liquor shops if there was a difference in quantum of their stocks between the commencement and end of lockdown.
“If there is a difference in the liquor stock, it should be considered as illegal business,” the committee observed.
PAC chairman H.K. Patil said members cutting across party affiliations had expressed concern that illegal liquor business had taken place during the lockdown. The committee members also took Excise Department officials to task for not being able to provide adequate information on various aspects. The members observed that the government was incurring losses to the tune of thousands of crores because of differences in production and productivity of spirit by distilleries.
