A high level excise department team today arrested two persons while allegedly importing illicit liquor into Jammu and Kashmir and detected several cases of toll evasion during naka checking and inspection of minor toll posts in Kathua district. A joint naka was laid by the Dy Excise Commissioner, (Executive), Jammu and Dy. Excise Commissioner, Toll Post, Lakhanpur at Dalayachack, District Kathua from 2:00 AM to 8:00 AM and arrested the accused for import of liquor meant for sale in Haryana .The naka, inspection was conducted as part of the drive to check Toll evasion and illegal smuggling of liquor into the state initiated on the direction of the Minister for Finance, J&K, Mr Haseeb Drabu. The drive is being supervised by Excise commissioner, J&K,
The team recovered 80 bottles (Eight cases) of illicit liquor from the accused person Sonam Dorje resident of Likesh, H.No.Stupa, Tehsil and District Leh, Ladakh.The consignment seized contained 23 bottles of AC Aristocrat Black Whisky, 24 bottles of Contassa XXX Rum, 18 bottles of Old Smuggler Mature XXX Rum and 15 bottles of Old Port Deluxe Rum meant for sale in Haryana.
A Case FIR No 185-ERH has been registered against him in Excise Range , Kathua under Section 48, 50 and 56 of the J&K Excise Act 1958. The team also arrested Sorav Gupta S/o Kuldeep Kumar R/o 615/26, Panchkula , Haryana at present H.No. 18, Channi Himmat, Jammu while illegally importing 3 Bottles of Blenders Pride whisky (each bottle of 2 bulk litres; total 6 litres)meant for sale in Haryana.A Case FIR No: 184-ERH has been registered against him in Excise Range, Kathua under Section 48, 50 and 56 of the J&K Excise Act 1958. The accused persons are in Excise custody and further investigation is going on.Meanwhile the team conducted through checking of the vehicles en-route Lakhanpur to Jammu and vehicles bearing registration No. JK08D-8949, PB10TH-4330, PB10-3486 and PB08CB-3842, that entered the J&K State through minor Toll Posts, were found to have been charged less Toll viz-a-viz actual load of the vehicles.On the directions of the Dy. Excise Commissioner, (Executive), Jammu and Dy. Excise Commissioner, Toll Post, Lakhanpur, vehicles were put to weighing on a nearest weighbridge and huge variation of Gross weight was noticed. Accordingly all the aforementioned vehicles were fined and an amount of Rs. 62,000 (Rupees Sixty Two Thousands only) was recovered from the defaulters.