Liquor mafia operating in Punjab under political patronage, Centre should probe, says Dullo

Dullo said apart from those who died, at least 150 people were admitted to hospitals. While several people have turned blind after drinking spurious liquor, kidneys of many have been impacted but no action has been taken against the perpetrators of the crime, he said, demanding compensation for the family of those killed and impacted.

He charged that the “liquor mafia in the state was operating under political patronage” and there was a police nexus.

Nine illegal distilleries were being run and supplying liquor to neighbouring Haryana, Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh among other states, the MP said.

He said neighbouring countries were involved in it and demanded the Centre’s intervention to probe the issue through the CBI a retired high court judge or any independent agency so that culprits could be booked.

Dullo said he met the Governor of the state but no action has been taken and that the matter pertains to inter-state illegal racket and theft of taxes.

Dullo and another Congress Rajya Sabha member, Partap Singh Bajwa, The have remained critical of the their own party’s government in Punjab over the recent hooch tragedy.