Two Chinese nationals were arrested in Patna after liquor bottles were seized from their rooms in a guest house of the mobile company they have been working with for the past six months. Bihar was declared a dry State from April, 2016 after the new stringent excise and prohibition law was enforced in the State.
The two Chinese nationals, W. Chuynagyong and Tiyandong, were taken into custody on Sunday night from a guest house running in a four-storey house located at Ali Nagar area of Anisabad under Gardanibagh police station in Patna. The local police seized three Indian Made Foreign Liquor bottles from two rooms they were living in. Both the Chinese nationals are said to be employees of a Chinese mobile phone company and the guest house was booked in the name of Oppo Mobiles (DS) Private Limited.
“One IMFL bottle was seized from room no. 201/B and two bottles from room no. 220/B in which the two Chinese nationals were staying for last six months with others from their country,” said a Gardanibagh police officer. Altogether nine Chinese nationals have been staying in the guest house for past several months and their passports and visas are being verified, the police officer told journalists.
Test negative
The breath analyser test conducted on the accused reported negative but under the new excise and prohibition law even possession of liquor bottles draws stringent punishment. The Chinese embassy has been informed about the arrest of their nationals, the police added.
The manager and other employees of the guest house are being questioned by the police.
Over 1,27,000 people have been arrested in the State connection with more than 1,05,000 FIRs lodged for prohibition violations so far. “Only 8,123 persons are behind bars for liquor offences,” Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had said on March 12 this year while addressing a function in Patna. Mr. Kumar, however, has hinted at some amendments to the new Bihar Excise and Prohibition Act, 2016 to stop its “misuse”.
