A significant crackdown looms over several liquor vends in Gurgaon, which are already under investigation for alleged smuggling of imported liquor. These establishments now face fresh and serious accusations of blatantly violating the Haryana excise policy, prompting demands for immediate sealing and license suspension.
Myriad Violations Flagged in Formal Complaint
A detailed complaint submitted to the state excise department has exposed a range of infractions. The alleged violations are not minor oversights but systematic breaches. They include the illegal sale of liquor below the government-mandated Minimum Retail Sale Price (MRSP) and a failure to display statutory information like license details and official contact numbers.
Other prominent breaches highlighted are:
- Unauthorized advertising and promotional activities, including on social media platforms.
- Use of decorative or façade lighting around the vends, which is strictly prohibited.
- Prominent display of liquor bottles through illuminated glass fronts visible to the public, constituting illegal promotion.
- Operations beyond the legally permitted hours.
- Non-display of the mandatory MRSP list for both Imported Foreign Liquor and Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL).
Allegations of Collusion and Systemic Failure
Advocate Rajeev Yadav, who filed the complaint and has been vocal about excise policy issues, made severe allegations. He stated that these violations are "open, organised, city-wide, and continuing daily". This pattern, he argues, raises a serious apprehension of connivance, corruption, and willful non-enforcement by field-level excise officials.
Yadav emphasized that Clause 3.4 of the Haryana policy explicitly bans all liquor advertisements and celebratory lighting. "The mere existence of such lighting constitutes an independent breach... warranting immediate sealing," he asserted.
Underpricing and Ambiguity in Price Fixation
A core allegation involves the deliberate underpricing of premium brands to lure customers. The complaint specifies that brands like VAT-69, 100 Pipers, and Teachers are being sold below their MRSP. In a stark example, Yadav pointed out that a bottle of Black Label, which should have a minimum price of Rs 3,200, is being sold for approximately Rs 1,700.
This points to a deeper regulatory failure. Yadav filed an RTI query to ascertain the MRSP of '100 Pipers' but received no clear, enforceable price. The excise department's reply only provided EDP (Ex-Distillery Price) figures, not a fixed retail price. "This amounts to an admission that liquor vends are operating without a fixed MRSP," Yadav said. He questioned whether liquor companies and vends are setting prices arbitrarily while the excise department remains a "mute spectator".
Clause 7.4 of the policy mandates automatic suspension and sealing upon detection of such MRSP violations, yet no such action appears to have been taken proactively.
When contacted, an excise department official stated that teams are continuously working to enforce the policy. "We take immediate action when any violation is brought to our notice," the official said. However, the scale and persistence of the violations listed in the complaint suggest a significant gap between policy on paper and its enforcement on the ground in Gurgaon.
