SIT to probe Mulakalacheruvu liquor scandal; CM Naidu launches AP Excise Suraksha App
SIT to probe Mulakalacheruvu liquor scandal, CM Naidu launches AP Excise Suraksha App to curb liquor menace
By - Newsmeter Network
Amaravati : Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu today said a special investigation team has been formed to probe the Mulakalacheruvu liquor scandal.
Naidu also launched the AP Excise Suraksha App to curb the spurious liquor menace.
The SIT is headed by Inspector-General of Police G. V. G. Ashok Kumar. Other members of the team include Director of Enforcement, Prohibition and Excise, Rahul Dev Sharma; CID SP K. Chakravarthy; and IPS officer Malika Garg. An expert from the Excise department will also be part of the team. They have been tasked to conduct a detailed investigation
Addressing media persons at his camp office, the Chief Minister said 16 out of 23 accused have been arrested. They include the main accused, Janardhan.
Naidu said that he has suspended one TDP leader immediately for his alleged role in the case. He made it clear that the government will act tough on the accused, irrespective of their political affiliations, and there is no question of shielding anyone under a political guise.
The Chief Minister expressed surprise over some parties demanding a CBI inquiry into the spurious liquor case to escape from the case. He said during the previous government, own brands were promoted and the entire system was owned by owning shops, transport, and distilleries.
Naidu said that the spurious liquor has roots in Africa, and some people are conspiring to implement the same pattern in Andhra Pradesh. He said that TDP leaders were the first to highlight the spurious liquor case in Mulakalacheruvu.
On this occasion, the Chief Minister launched the `AP Excise Suraksha App' to curb the sale and production of spurious liquor.
The Chief Minister said that the shop owner should scan the bottle before selling the bottle to the consumer. The consumer can also scan the bottle to know whether it is real or spurious liquor.
He said the App will help to curb the belt shop menace as legal vends will be geo-tagged.
He said the ganja cultivation was made as a commercial crop, and the drug menace increased during 2019-24. He said those who are resorting to crimes in the guise of politics are now resorting to false campaign on spurious liquor, blaming the government.
He said action will be taken against those who resort to false propaganda. He said the previous government failed to react, even though 27 people died in Jangareddygudem, and is now blaming the state government for a false campaign.
At the same time, the Chief Minister also strictly warned Excise department staff and officials to act as per law, or else they will face action for their wrongdoings.
