Threefold rise in Assam excise revenue department

GUWAHATI: After the Excise department plugging all loopholes, there has been a threefold increase in revenue generation and collection in the department in the State.

In the past 24 hours, the Excise sleuths of the State unearthed an illegal bottling plant in the 14 Mile area in Guwahati. This bottling plant has been illegally brewing liquor with low-quality materials and fixing labels of branded companies on the bottles. The sleuths seized a large number of the illegally brewed and misbranded liquor bottles.

Maybe, a section of Excise officials still has a nexus with such illegal liquor brewers.

To check the menace, the Excise department had formed the 'Excise Intelligence Bureau', two years ago. The Bureau has been checking all illegal activities relating to the Excise department.

Talking to The Sentinel, Commissioner to the Department of Excise Rakesh Kumar said, "Investigation is going on as to how the illegal liquor business is taking place in the State. Apart from illegal bottling and misbranding at the plant, the Excise Intelligence Bureau seized a huge consignment of IMFL at Tetelia in the Sonapur area under Kamrup (Metro) while being transported from the 'Himalayan Distillery Pvt Ltd' to the 'Borgohain Enterprises' at Mariani.

"This distillery is on the verge of liquidation. The hard copy challan shown by the transporters for the transportation of those illegal liquor bottles is an invalid one. Hardcopy challans have not been issued by the Department since 2016 when the new regime shifted to the issuance of online challans to plug various loopholes."

According to sources, another instance of illegal bottling was busted near the premises of the 'Himalayan Distillery Pvt Ltd' around six months back. The 'Himalayan Distillery Pvt Ltd' is owned by a BJP leader.

Excise Commissioner Kumar said, "Prior to 2016, the annual revenue earning from the Excise department was Rs 500-600 crore. However, after plugging the loopholes revenue earning has been rising at the rate of around 20 per cent yearly. In 2019-20, the Excise revenue in the State rose to Rs 1,700 crore. In the current fiscal, it is Rs 900 crore till now. Such a steep rise in Excise revenue collection has been possible because of the tough stand taken by Excise Minister Parimal Suklabaidya."

Meanwhile, Minister Suklabaidya's PRO said that the Minister has directed the Excise department to inquire into the matter of illegal bottling plant, illegal transportation of IMFL. He also instructed the authority concerned to take strict action against the factory officer in-charge and also the Kamrup (M) Enforcement (Excise) in-charge in this regard. "A total of 918 cartons of IMFL, 400 litre of ENA (raw materials) and machinery used for fake labelling have been seized," said the PRO.