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Bootlegging in the time
of Delhi elections
By Richa Sharma
New
Delhi, Nov 25 (IANS) Liquor smuggling cases have risen by
400 percent in the last one week in the capital, police say.
No, there's no new Al Capone in town. Just that assembly elections
are around the corner.
The
Delhi excise department has registered over 1,500 bootlegging
cases this month. The liquor was being brought illegally from
neighbouring states, especially from Haryana, to be distributed
among the voters here.
"Generally,
during elections the sale of liquor shoots up as it is distributed
to woo voters. In the past three days itself, we have seized
around 300 cases of liquor and eight vehicles," a senior
officer in the Delhi excise department told IANS.
The
department has formed nine special teams to keep an eye on
the illegal influx of liquor from bordering areas before the
Nov 29 Delhi elections.
According
to the official, illicit liquor is being pumped in from states
bordering the national capital. The main areas include Najafgarh
and Kapashera in southwest Delhi, Badarpur in south Delhi
and the Faridabad and Gurgaon borders. All these areas are
next to Haryana.
"The
smuggled liquor is primarily being supplied to slum areas
and unauthorised colonies that account for one-third of Delhi's
population, as there is a restriction on giving a licence
for opening liquor shops in these areas," the officer
said.
With
dry days being announced from Nov 27 to 29, the excise department
says people have started stocking liquor.
"There
is a large increase in the smuggling of liquor before dry
days. Due to elections, liquor shops in the capital will remain
shut for three days so there is a possibility of more illicit
liquor being brought to Delhi in the next three to four days,"
the officer said.
"We
have increased checking and patrolling in the bordering areas.
Our teams are working with Delhi Police to check the influx
of liquor from other states," the officer said.
Delhi
Excise Commissioner R.M. Pillai has also written to the Haryana
authorities to be on alert during the election period.
"We
have asked the Haryana government to keep a strict vigil on
liquor being supplied illegally," the officer said.
Delhi
Police's public relations officer Rajan Bhagat said, "We
have increased surveillance along border areas. Several people
have been arrested for smuggling liquor."
Campaigning
in the Delhi elections to 70 seats will end Nov 27.
Indo-Asian
News Service
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