Patna High Court has also made a sharp comment amidst the questions arising on liquor ban in Bihar. The High Court said that the officials like prohibition and for them it means big money. Along with this, the High Court canceled the demotion order issued against a police inspector for negligence in implementing the prohibition law. The court said that these provisions have become useful for the police, who work closely with smugglers.
Justice Purnendu Singh, in a judgment given on October 29, said that not only police officers, excise officers, but also officers of the Commercial Tax Department and Transport Department prefer prohibition. For them it means big money. In fact, prohibition has promoted unauthorized trade of liquor and other banned items. These stringent provisions have become a convenient tool for the police who work closely with smugglers.
This order of the High Court came in response to a writ petition filed by Mukesh Kumar Paswan who was working as SHO in Patna Bypass police station. Paswan was suspended after Excise Department officials recovered foreign liquor during a raid. Despite defending himself during the investigation and claiming innocence, on November 24, 2020, the state government had issued demotion order against Paswan.
The Nitish Kumar government of Bihar had banned the sale and consumption of liquor in the entire state in April 2016. After the liquor ban, Nitish Kumar government was criticized on many occasions, but the ban continued. Opposition parties even today raise questions on prohibition and do not hesitate to call it a source of income for the police.
The court said that very few cases are registered against the kingpins or syndicate operators involved in liquor smuggling, whereas a large number of cases are registered against liquor drinkers or poor people who are victims of liquor-related tragedies. Broadly speaking, it is the poor people of the state who are bearing the brunt of the Act.
The High Court said that the government enacted the Bihar Prohibition and Excise Act, 2016 with the objective of raising the standard of living of the people and improving public health at large, but for several reasons, it (the law) is on the wrong side of history. ) finds himself. The court said that those who are facing the wrath of this Act are daily wage laborers and are the only earning members of their families.
