A crime detection wing, modeled on the Crime Branch of Police, will be formed in the Excise Department to investigate abkari offences.
Chief Minister Oommen Chandy announced this at a meeting of the popular committee formed following ban on arrack in 1996 to strengthen action against sale of spurious liquor.
The Chief Minister said that a Joint Excise Commissioner would be in charge of the unit to be set up here. Additional units would be set up in Ernakulam and Kozhikode after reviewing its efficiency.
Mr. Chandy said that the Police and Excise departments would jointly organise programmes for checking illicit distillation and sale of spurious liquor. Police and excise officials showing good performance in enforcement activities would be rewarded.
He said that when spurious liquor is seized during transport, action was being taken only against the driver and helper. However, action would be taken in future against those behind the transport of illicit liquor or toddy after investigation. Cooperation of other States would also be sought in enforcement.
Excise Minister K. Babu said that mobile testing laboratories would be introduced on an experimental basis. The Excise Commissioner and the Chief Chemical Examiner had been asked to take the necessary steps for this.
