Puducherry police on Monday denied that they had violated laws while cracking down on illegal sale of liquor during the ongoing COVID-19 lockdown.
In a statement issued a day after being pulled up by Chief Minister V. Narayanasamy on the issue, the Police Department said it acted within the bounds of the law. The Chief Minister on Sunday charged that the police action was high-handed sans due process.
Without referring to Mr. Narayanasamy’s charge, the statement said, “Every action taken by police is as per law and due procedures were followed upon the complaints received from the general public. Allegations of false registration (of cases) are vehemently denied.”
The police said since the beginning of national lockdown, there were repeated complaints of illegal sale and possession of liquor in various places in and around Puducherry. Residents reported them to the central control room and directly to police stations and officials.
“In response to these calls, the police had checked and raided the places, seized the liquor, arrack and toddy wherever found,” it said. Since the illegal sale occurred in violation of lockdown orders, they attracted the provisions of IPC, Disaster Management Act and Epidemic Diseases Act, which are cognizable in nature.
The police registered 242 cases under appropriate provisions of the law. Since excise officials were empowered to investigate offences under the Pondicherry Excise Act, they have been intimated for initiating action. “The police only acted in a manner in which it was dutybound to act in such cases. Allegations of false registration of cases and high handedness by police are therefore strongly denied. In any case, all the accused in these cases shall have ample opportunity to defend themselves once the cases are filed in the Court,” the statement added.
