Patrolling officials found that Saarthi Bar and Restaurant in Panvel had not renewed its licence since April 1 and had also been importing liquor without paying tax
The excise officers with the liquor haul from Saarthi Bar
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A few hours before voting for the Panvel Municipal Corporation began, the Panvel excise police raided Saarthi Bar and Restaurant in Kamothe for selling illegally imported foreign liquor on a dry day.
May 23 and 24 had been declared dry days owing to the elections, following which the excise police were on high alert.
Around 11 pm, while patrolling in the area, an excise officer came to know that liquor was being sold illegally at Saarthi. As the bar was selling liquor to only known people, the officers sent a local, posing as a customer, to purchase 180 ml of brandy for Rs 480. The police then raided the premises.
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The police then found that the bar had not renewed its licence since April 1 and had been selling liquor without the tax payment number indicating that it was illegally imported liquor. Indian Made Foreign liquor, including brandy, rum and whisky worth Rs 80,665, was seized by the excise police.
"Mostly, when foreign liquor does not have the requisite tax payment number, it means that it has been illegally imported. Our next step is to investigate how this liquor entered the state," said an official from the Raigad excise police on condition of anonymity.
Saarthi Bar and Restaurant has been charged for violation of the Maharashtra foreign liquor act, 1953, section 55(1) for selling liquor on a dry day.
The excise department has demanded that the collector's office charge the bar owner under the Bombay Prohibition Act 1949, for import export, transport, possession, sale and manufacture of intoxicants without payment of duty and to also issue a show case notice to the bar owner.
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