Bhubaneswar: In a shocking revelation, excise commissioner Narasingha Bhol on Saturday revealed that some employees of the excise department are engaged in corrupt and criminal activities. Some are involved in unauthorised liquor distribution and few are providing cover to ganja mafia, he said.
He said eight excise officers, including assistant sub-inspectors (ASIs) and constables, were dismissed from service for various criminal activities, including assisting ganja and liquor mafias in the past year. Surprisingly, some were receiving monthly payments from narcotics dealers, he added.
He spoke about Rajeev Kumar Bhanja, a former excise constable posted in Balasore. He was a primary distributor of illicit country and foreign liquor in northern Odisha. The department dismissed him from service after obtaining conclusive evidence of his involvement in unlawful activities, he added.
“We have identified some excise staff, from superintendent rank to constable, and placed them in a suspect list. Based on the data from vigilance, we have also conducted secret inquiries on several staff members. We are keeping a strict vigil on the suspected staff who are engaged in corrupt and criminal activities,” said Bhol.
He said they warned the officials directly and indirectly about their actions. “If these staff do not fall in line, such departmental actions will be taken against them,” he added.