Liquor sales in Nizamabad, Andhra Pradesh have gone up by about 40 per cent, thanks to panchayat elections. Money and liquor have been flowing into the district with aspirants for sarpanch posts luring voters. Many candidates have already stored liquor for distribution before polling, The Times of India reported. Non-duty paid liquor is smuggled into the district from neighbouring Maharashtra. Excise and prohibition officials recently seized non-duty paid liquor at two integrated check posts at Salabatpur and Salura.
According to excise statistics, liquor worth Rs 30 crore has been disposed of within 17 days since July 1.
This is about 40 per cent increase in liquor sales when compared with the figures of June.
A total of 63,692 bottles of Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) and 73,192 beer bottles were sold from July 1 to 17. During June 2013, Rs 30.60-crore-worth liquor was sold, which included 59,912 IMFL and 106,738 bottles of beer.
Arun Rao, Deputy Commissioner, Excise and Prohibition, Nizamabad, said that they had conducted checks at Salura and Salabatpur and seized 50 litres of non-duty paid liquor smuggled into the district. Four cases were booked in connection with illegal transportation of liquor, he added.