PANAJI
Forged receipts, financial fraud, and now illicit liquor sales have thrown the #Pernem excise station into a whirlwind of controversy. After the loss of Rs 2 crore approx involving the 'cunning' UDC and his colluding Inspector, it is revealed that the very same UDC is also responsible for illegally selling the seized liquor bottles.
Sources told The Goan that instead of following proper protocol and recording the seized stock in the excise books, these liquor stacks were sold in black.
"The UDC knew it well which establishment should be targetted because quite a few along this belt are operating illegally. He would raid the premises, issue the challan to the violating operator and transport the seized liquor cartons to the Pernem excise station. But the seized packs surprisingly would go missing," said the source. "It was sold in black market."
Not just that, the illicit profits gained from this shady operation were allegedly divided between the UDC and the Inspector.
The excise station surprisingly does not have a single liquor bottle, seized through raids.
Ironically, the department's response to this scandal has been lackluster, even though activists and victims are demanding answers and accountability from the excise department.
At a press conference on Thursday, social activist Sanjay Barde charged the Commissioner Narayan Gad with shielding the UDC in the face of serious allegations. Barde suspects the department could have 'received bags (bribe)' due to which the UDC was rewarded with a transfer rather than facing police case or vigilance inquiry.
"The Commissioner is protecting the accused. He is inquiring the victim license holders instead of probing the UDC. Why has the excise department not filed a complaint to register First Information Report or sought vigilance inquiry against the accused and others involved in the scam?" he said.
The activist also slammed Gad for feigning ignorance on the matter despite the expose on The Goan. "The newspaper is on his (Commissioner) table, but he pretended he doesn't know anything on the matter," he alleged.
Meanwhile, the government seems to have intervened in the matter and sought recovery of the license holders' money lost in fraud. The Commissioner had been busy attending to all the concerned inquiring about the scam including the victims, activists, etc.
