Daijiworld Media Network - Bantwal (SP)
Bantwal, Apr 16: The need to obtain temporary permits for liquor in case large quantity of liquor is needed to hold functions, programmes etc came to the fore recently after excise officials raided a house in Ira village of Bantwal taluk and arrested owner of the house, Steven D'Silva, after liquor was found in excess of permissible quantity at his home. The incident was initially projected as a violation of election code of conduct but excise department has clarified through a release that anyone in possession of over 2.3 litres of Indian made liquor and 18.2 litres of beer needs to obtain temporary permits from excise department, duly adding that code of conduct does not apply to this issue.
Officials had raided the house of Steven on Saturday April 14 when engagement ceremony of his niece was on, and sent him behind the bars. The family later said that because of ignorance, they had failed to obtain advance permission to hold stock of liquor for the engagement ceremony for which about 600 guests had been invited.
Steven's brother, Daniel, said that two persons in plainclothes suddenly arrived on Saturday afternoon when the engagement ceremony was about to begin, and checked refrigerator and other places and clicked photos. They then summoned more staff and took liquor stock into possession and arrested Steven. "We requested the excise officials to be present during the ceremony, duly promising them not to serve liquor at the function. They were told to give time till the end of the ceremony as the future of a girl was involved. But they did not pay heed," Daniel stated.
When the department personnel were told that the family was unaware of these rules, they said rules are available online. Daniel points out that this is a rural area where people rarely check Internet for such things. He made a mention that the local gram panchayat president too was unaware about code of conduct rules. He wondered why the department did not educate even people in such prominent positions about these rules. He also questioned how could the liquor vendors who supplied liquor to the family told them that licence is not needed to hold liquor stock. Daniel said that they had bought liquor two weeks in advance and he holds 36 purchase bills. He clarified that when buying liquor, the family had made inquiries with the liquor vendors about the need to get permission if any, and that the vendors had asserted that no such rule is in existence. Daniel added that they explained these things to excise officials, but they were in no mood to listen to the explanations.
"We have been insulted by the behaviour of the officials. We apologized for the mistake committed by oversight but they were unrelenting. They left a blot on our function and we went through mental torture because of them. We wish that no one else will ever face such indignation," said a family member, Leena D'Souza.
The family would be filing for bail for Steven in the court on Monday as the court had holiday on Saturday on account of Ambedkar Jayanti. In the meanwhile, a video containing anger expressed by the general public over the behaviour of the excise department when a family function was on, has gone viral in social websites.