Liquor company owners to face fines if consignments seized: Bihar Minister
Patna, June 12
Madan Sahani, the Minister for Prohibition in the Bihar government, on Friday announced that the state government is preparing to further tighten the liquor prohibition law.
Sahani, who reached Darbhanga for an event, reiterated that there is no proposal under consideration to repeal the prohibition policy in Bihar.
Speaking to the media after attending an event, Sahani said the liquor ban law is being made more stringent and informed that a recent review meeting on prohibition was held in Patna, during which strict instructions were issued to officials.
The Minister stated that representatives from the railways, airports, and border security agencies participated in the meeting.
"We are going to strengthen surveillance at all five check-posts. Our focus is to curb the inflow of foreign liquor from outside the state," he said.
He further stated that fresh raids would be conducted across different locations and that the government is making arrangements to install large scanners to detect the transportation of liquor.
"If anyone attempts to carry foreign liquor, it will be immediately detected, and strict action will be taken," Sahani said.
The Prohibition Minister also announced that whenever foreign liquor is seized, an FIR would be registered against the concerned company owner, followed by action to ensure their arrest.
He added that cases involving disproportionate assets and related offences would also be subjected to speedy trial proceedings.
It may be noted that a review meeting of the Prohibition Department was held last Thursday to discuss measures for making the liquor ban law more effective.
During the meeting, officials were instructed to intensify efforts to curb liquor smuggling networks.
Special emphasis was placed on conducting regular inspections of major trains entering Bihar and on taking stringent action against smugglers.
However, the move has also raised questions about monitoring road transport, as a significant portion of liquor reportedly enters the state through roadways.
— IANS
Reader Comments
I support the ban, but fining company owners for consignments seized? That seems a bit harsh. What if the consignment was stolen or the company had no control over it? Shouldn't they focus more on the real smugglers and the supply chain? Just my two cents.
Great initiative! Liquor is ruining families in rural Bihar. My uncle lost everything to drinking. If this law saves even one family from that tragedy, it's worth it. And holding companies accountable is the only way to stop the supply. Jai Bihar! 🚀
I'm all for reducing alcohol abuse, but prohibition never works in the long run. It just creates a black market and corruption. Instead of spending crores on scanners and police raids, why not invest in education and rehabilitation? This feels like a political stunt before elections.
As someone from Bihar, I can say the ban has reduced open drinking in villages, but the smuggling is rampant. Trains from UP and Jharkhand bring in liquor daily. Large scanners at check-posts might help, but they need to focus on the railway routes too. Let's see how this works out.
Proportionate assets cases against company owners? That's a smart legal move. They can't hide behind shell companies then. But I worry about the common man getting caught in the middle—like a driver transporting goods unknowingly. The government should ensure strict but fair implementation. 🙏
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.