Lucknow, Mar 23: Eight people were arrested in Uttar Pradesh’s Kaushambi district on Tuesday and adulterated liquor was seized, police said. Kaushambi SP Abhinandan, in a statement, said following deaths of several people due to alleged consumption of spurious liquor in Allahabad, Fatehpur, Pratapgarh and Chitrakoot, a team of police officials was formed and raids were conducted.
“During the raid, the team recovered adulterated liquor and 20 litres of spirit. The adulterated liquor was confirmed by the district excise officer. Eight persons have been arrested in this connection,” he said. “The adulterated liquor was brought from Pratapgarh for use in Holi and panchayat elections. However, the adulterated liquor was seized before it could be distributed,” the SP added.
Those arrested were identified as Ajay, Koyal Singh, Raju alias Anshuman Singh, Angad Singh, Sanjay, Ashok Shukla, Aalok Singh and Manoj Singh. On Monday, the death toll due to alleged consumption of spurious liquor in a village in Chitrakoot rose to seven, while eight people were undergoing treatment at a hospital in Allahabad, where the condition of two was critical.
Following the incident, nine officials, including a sub-divisional magistrate and a circle officer, were suspended. Meanwhile, in another statement issued here on Tuesday, Additional Chief Secretary (Excise) Sanjay R Bhoosreddy informed that after due consideration a notification has been issued by the government prescribing the limit of retail sale of various types of liquor.
Liquor cannot now be sold to any person by retail shops in excess of quantities prescribed by the notification. “Liquor up to the prescribed limit can only be sold to a person above the age of 21 years. Now a person cannot possess more than five bottles of 200 ml capacity of country liquor (plain) and five Bottles of 200 ml capacity of country liquor (spiced),” Bhoosreddy said.
“The prescribed limit for foreign liquor is 1.5 litre each of Indian made and imported foreign liquor, 2 litres each of Indian made and imported wine, 6 litres each of Indian made and imported beer, 1.5 litres of other kind of Indian/imported liquor and 6 litres of low alcoholic beverages,” he added. In case of any violation, legal action under the United Provinces Excise Act, 1910 will be taken against the person wherein there is a provision of imprisonment up to three years and fine of 10 times the amount of consideration fee involved in the liquor or Rs 2,000 whichever is greater.
Moreover, action may also be taken under relevant sections of Indian Penal Code. He also informed that any person intending to purchase, transport and to possess liquor for personal use in quantities more than prescribed limit can obtain a license in 2021-22.
The terms and conditions and the maximum quantity of liquor permissible have been mentioned in the Excise Policy of 2021-22. The annual license fee for the said license shall be Rs 12,000 and the security shall be Rs 51,000.
The said license shall be called as Personal Home License. Within the premises approved in the license, adult family members, relatives, family guests and friends of licensee who are not below the age of 21 years will be allowed to consume liquor with his consent.
Only one Personal Home License shall be granted to a person for his main residence. Personal Home License shall not be granted to a person for his farm-house or guest house. The applicants who are income tax payee for the last five years and have paid income tax under the slab of 20 per cent for at least three years shall be eligible, the statement said.
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