The State government has suspended five officials of the Excise Department after it was found that they stole liquor bottles that were seized during a raid in Belagavi district.
The five officials, including Excise Inspectors Davalsaab Sindogi and Sadashiv Korti and Deputy Inspector Pushpa Gadadi, have been suspended, while a case has been filed against them.
Election duty officers, in association with Excise officers, had confiscated 753 bottles of beer and other alcoholic beverages from a vehicle that was crossing the border from Goa at Modekoppa near Khanapur in the district.
But overnight, 301 went missing. An inquiry revealed that these Excise officials stole them. Investigation is on.
