Dept of Excise books a fake spirit supplier 

Shimla, Feb 5

Following the Mandi hooch tragedy, Himachal Pradesh Excise and taxation department seems to be busy burning midnight burners as it has now booked a fake spirit supplier for allegedly indulging in fudged transaction and supply of sanitizer to State Hospitals however the concern Chief Medical Officers are denying placing any order to the alleged firm. On the basis of lead taken from irregularities found in Goverdhan bottling plant in district Mandi and checking of e-way bills through online data, an inspection was conducted at Kala Amb in district Sirmaur, Commissioner, State Taxes and Excise Yunus said here in a Press release issued today.

A team under the leadership of Joint Commissioner of State Taxes and Excise Ujjwal Rana inspected the Industrial Complex, Dutch Formulation. During the inspection it was found that no product of any kind was being manufactured in the premises.

The said unit does not have any license issued by the Drug Authority. The unit had made purchases of Rs. 8.06 crores in the e-way bills in the year 20-21 and has shown sales of about Rs. 4.77 crores. Since difference between purchase and supply makes Rs 3.39 crores and no stock of which was found in the premises department also inspected another firm of this company which is Danish Lab in Ambala.

E-way bills of this firm were also checked. During this, it was found that this firm has sent four consignments of hand sanitizers to CMO Dharamshala in November and December, 2021. Similarly, the same firm has sent three consignments of hand sanitizers to Rajiv Gandhi Ayush Medical College, Paprola.

The cost of all these was Rs. 51 lakh. Besides this, M/s Dutch Formulation Kala Amb had also sent a consignment of hand sanitizers to Paprola College of Rs. 7.50 lakhs.

It was also worth mentioning here that despite giving time to the said firms, no details have been made available to the department, the department has extracted all this data from the e-way bill system. On investigating with both the departments, they informed that they have neither ordered nor received any such supplies.

The total illegal supply is Rs 58.50 lakh, from which about one lakh bulk litres of spirit could be purchased and about 37 to 40 thousand boxes of wine could be produced.

From this it appears that the spirit was being supplied by the said firms under the guise of supplying hand sanitizers. In this regard, an FIR was being registered by the department, taking further action against the said firm.

After death of seven persons in Mandi hooch tragedy recently Excise Department along with SIT of state police have taken action against number of bottling plant in Hamirpur, Palampur, Mandi and Baddi making recovery of nine thousand boxes of illicit liquor and others items used in manufacturing of liquor.