Ferozepur, May 24, 2018: The liquor vendors of Zira subdivision today accused Congress MLA Kulbir Singh Zira of targeting them and decided to shut down their shops and hand over the keys to the Excise Department.
Talking to media persons, at Press Club Ferozepur, the owners of liquor vendors – Doda Wine Makhu, Gagan Distillers Pvt Ltd Zira, Avinash Doda Zira, Gaga Vasu Khos Dal Singh Avinash Doda Mallanwala – represented by Farman Singh Sandhu, Sunil Kumar, Banarsi Dass said, the excise department, CIA staff and Narcotic Cell joined had seized 18 bottles of liquor of Haryana a few days back from the close relative of PA Ginni from Sodhiwala.
Besides the illicit liquor was also recovered from Arbel Singh of village Baghelewala following which a case was registered at Ferozepur Cantt police station.
"We have decided to close all the shops and hand over the keys to the Excise Department," they said.
On asking about the loss due to closure, it could be around Rs.18-20 lakh daily if the district administration fails to interfere in the matter.
Farman Singh said the role of police when approached about the highhandedness is simply as the mute spectator. In case there is no relief to us, we will knock the courts of law, he added.
We are being pressurized to take our complaint back and now the MLA is targeting us to settle the score. We have handed over the keys of our liquor vends to the officials of excise department. The liquor vends in Zira will not be opened till the time MLA Zira Kulbir accepts his fault ”, said the liquor vendors.
On the other hand, the Excise Department officials did not bother to respond to the repeated calls made.
When contacted, Kulbir Zira said that the checking was done as several complaints were received against these vendors. “We were working in accordance with law”, said Kulbir. However, SDM confirmed that it was a routine checking on a certain complaint.