Ahead of Lok Sabha elections, Karnataka Excise Department has seized illicit liquor worth ₹98 crore after raiding liquor major United Breweries’ unit in Thandya industrial area near Nanjangud, Mysuru.
The excise department officials were acting on an anonymous tip-off, and the unit was raided on April 2 by the district collector and district election officers. Post the raid, a case has been registered against the unit.
UB statement
United Breweries however notes that the liquor seized was not illegal. “We want to emphasize that all the stocks in our Nanjangud brewery, Mysuru and consignments meant for export to other states are fully compliant and have obtained all necessary permissions; they are not illegal. We are working closely with the regulatory authorities to swiftly resolve this issue and resume normal operations,” a company spokesperson said.
Excise officers are reported to have discovered that the brewery had more beer in storage than had been declared. This included seven thousand boxes of liquor of multiple brands.
With elections around the corner, liquor was seized in Dakshina Kannada as well. Per reports, since the model code of conduct for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections went into effect on April 3, authorities have seized an astounding 90,443 litres of liquor priced at around 2 crore, in addition to drugs valued at around ₹9 lakh.
Total of 278 FIRs have been filed in relation to these seizures, pertaining to various offenses of excise regulations, according to reports.
With inputs from agencies