Patna: Like Gujarat, there is liquor ban in Bihar too. Although the Patna High Court of Bihar, while hearing a case, said that prohibition in Bihar means big money for the officials, but due to the prohibition law, smuggling of liquor and other illegal substances is increasing in Bihar. Although the intention of this law is good, it has gone in the wrong direction and the officials are using it to line their pockets, of which the poor people are falling victim.
Patna High Court Judge Purendusingh said in his decision that police, excise, excise and tax department officials welcome the prohibition because liquor prohibition has become a source of income for them. Very few cases are registered against big people or syndicate operators involved in liquor smuggling. At the same time, more cases are filed against poor people who drink alcohol or are victims of spurious liquor. The prohibition law has indeed become a cause of trouble for the poor of the state.
The High Court judge further said that the stringent provisions of the Prohibition Act have become a convenient tool for the police. Police often work closely with smugglers. New methods have been invented to avoid this law. Liquor prohibition was implemented in Bihar in 2016. However, incidents of lathi charge keep coming to light every year in Bihar, in which many poor people have died. In its 24-page order, the high court said that not only the police officers, but also the excise as well as state tax officials are very fond of the liquor ban as the liquor ban means huge income for them. Very few cases are registered against those who are big kingpins and syndicate operators. On the contrary, there are more cases against the poor who drink alcohol or who are victims of prostitution.
The High Court judge said in his decision that the worst impact of the prohibition law is on the daily wage earners, who earn only for their families. Daily wage laborers are becoming more victims of this prohibition law. After this decision of the High Court, an officer of the Anti-Drug Department of Bihar said that since this is the order of the High Court, it would not be appropriate to comment on it, but the High Court has raised only valid and worrying issues. Mukesh Kumar Paswan, a resident of Khagaria district of Bihar, had filed an appeal in the High Court. Mukesh claimed that when he was posted as Inspector at Patna Bypass Police Station, in November 2020, the State Excise Department searched my house. Had raided. Foreign liquor was recovered from the area. After which I was suspended. The Patna High Court accepted the petition of the suspended police officer and quashed the decision to suspend him along with quashing all investigations pending against him.
