Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 29 May, 2023 11:02 AM
Chandigarh, May 29 (IANS) The Excise Department in Punjab has carried out a massive statewide checking and monitoring operation in liquor bars, and took action against the violators.
Excise and Taxation Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said on Sunday this special drive, named 'Night Sweep', was launched to check the menace of smoking hookahs and other illegal activities in bars, pubs and restaurants.
He said more than 13 teams swung into action on Saturday night under the direct supervision of Financial Commissioner Taxation Vikas Partap and Excise Commissioner Varun Roojam.
He said in Mohali district's Nayagaon area, restaurant 'I love Hot shot' was found serving 'hookahs' to its customers for smoking along with beer which was meant for sale in Chandigarh only, thereby violating various provisions of law.
During the search, 20 hookahs, seven bottles of beer, various tobacco flavours and charcoal were confiscated. A case has been registered against owners of the restaurant under various provisions of the Punjab Excise Act 1914, the Cigarettes and other Tobacco Products Act 2003, the Poison Act 1919 and Indian Penal Code in Nayagaon.
In addition, in the Bestech Mall in Sector 66 in Mohali three bars -- 'Burj' (W White Hospitality), 'Skull' (Friend's Hospitality) and 'Mask Lounge & Bars' -- were found carrying out their operations beyond permitted timings.
Resultantly, the penal action has been initiated against these violating bars.
He said in Amritsar bar 'Peddlers Bar' was found operating beyond permitted time limit and was also serving the liquor to persons below 25 years of age.
During the search of the bar, 17 bottles of non-duty paid liquor and five bottles of expired beer was found which were confiscated on the spot.
Similarly, in Jalandhar bar 'Peddlers' was found operating beyond permitted time limit.
The minister said the excise teams on the ground were led by the Additional Commissioner (Excise) Naresh Dubey and AIG (Excise) Gurjot Singh Kler along with other senior officers of the department.
"Officers of the Health Department were also roped in. Each team had at least one woman officer and one Health department's representative in it," he added.
Highlighting the significance of operation Night Sweep, minister Cheema said the operation was aimed at the checking of smoking of hookahs at bars and restaurants considering the detrimental effects of smoking these hookahs on health, which contains harmful substances such as nicotine, known to be carcinogenic.
Earlier, NCB official Ashish Ranjan Prasad was placed under suspension. Later his suspension was revoked and he was transferred to CISF. Another NCB official who faced the music was Intelligence Official V.V. Singh who filled the arrest memo of Aryan Khan, son of mega star Shahrukh Khan. Singh was placed under suspension which has not been revoked as of now.
The Chief Minister, who was here to participate in a function to mark 34th death anniversary of Sant Avtar Singh, expressed deep concern over the depleting groundwater table and polluting environment in the state.
Justice Yogesh Khanna sought the response of the Delhi police on the plea and slated it for hearing before a vacation bench on June 6.As per the Delhi Police, they arrested on April 27 the accused Babuddin a.k.a. Babu (43), who was found involved in orchestrating violence during the procession.
The firefight between terrorists and security forces took place after a joint team of the police and the security forces cordoned off the area and launched a search operation on the basis of specific information about presence of terrorists.
As per the highest temporal seat of Sikhs, the harmonium is an instrument with colonial roots and was introduced in India by the British. It has urged that the harmoniums be replaced in three years with traditional string instruments during kirtans.
The bench of Justices Ramesh Sinha and Brij Raj Singh observed that the accused cops had indulged in a barbaric and inhuman killing of innocent persons by calling them terrorists.
