Mumbai: The state excise department has launched a crackdown on the manufacture, transportation, and sale of illicit liquor ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. The State Excise Commissioner has also directed all his divisional deputy commissioners all superintendents and the concerned offices to take action against those who fill and sell light-quality liquor in high-quality liquor bottles.
As per the directions of the State Excise Commissioner, after selling the liquor distributed from the sample FL-3 license to the customer, all FL3 license holders should be informed through the field officers about the name of the brand sold, the effect of the peg given and their price on the bill paid to the customer. It also said that the field officers should verify the bill available with the licensee while inspecting the FL3 license to ensure its implementation.
While monitoring the FL-3 license, it should thus be determined to match the remaining liquor stock sold by calculating the high-quality liquor stock based on the bill. The commissioner has also directed that if high-quality liquor is found in low or high quantity, care should be taken against the license concerned as per the provisions of the rules.
It also said that strict action should be taken against the concerned FL3 license if it is found that some of the same spurious or low-quality liquor is found to be there.
At the same time, if these directions are not strictly implemented, the concerned officials will be held accountable," it said. A circular in this regard has also been sent to all divisional deputy commissioners and superintendents.