Karnataka wine merchants’ body alleges Rs.700 crore liquor scam; accuses excise minister of bribery and corruption

Karnataka wine merchants’ body accuses Excise Minister R B Thimmapur of bribery

In the latest development, the Karnataka Wine Merchants’ Association has leveled serious allegations of corruption within the state’s Excise Department, accusing Excise Minister R B Thimmapur and officials in his office of engaging in a bribery scheme amounting to hundreds of crores.

The association, in a letter addressed to the Raj Bhavan, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, and the Lokayukta, requested intervention to curb what it described as rampant corruption and extortion practices by the minister and excise officials.

According to an email accessed by India Today, the association alleged that Minister Thimmapur demanded bribes in exchange for approving departmental transfers, while excise officials extorted money from liquor outlets.

The letter, titled “Huge Bribe and Money Laundering in Excise Minister Office Bangalore in Transferring Excise Officers and to Control Illegal Collection of Money for Election Purposes”, claims that Rs.16 crore was collected from senior officials alone. Those allegedly involved in the bribe-paying included three deputy commissioners, nine superintendents, 13 deputy superintendents, and 20 excise inspectors.

“This money-for-transfer practice has been going on in the department for the past two to three years,” the association’s letter stated.

Additionally, the association accused the minister of granting CL7 bar licences at bribes ranging from Rs.30-70 lakh per license, which would reportedly violate state laws. Over the past year, the association claims that 1,000 illegal licences were issued, leading to corruption worth between Rs.300-700 crore. The CL-7 licence, issued in Karnataka to hotels and boarding houses, typically requires annual fees of Rs.4 lakh to Rs.8.5 lakh, depending on the location.

“We have written to the CM [Siddaramaiah] to keep a check on corruption and reduce the CL7 licence fees. One licence is charged at Rs.30-75 lakh as bribery. It runs into thousands of crores,” said S Guruswamy, president of the Wine Merchants’ Association, directly blaming Excise Minister R B Thimmapur. “Officials directly tell us they have paid the minister to get their posts. In the last one year, 1,000 licences were given after taking money,” Guruswamy claimed, holding Thimmapur directly responsible.

The accusations add to a growing list of corruption charges against the Karnataka government headed by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. The chief minister is already under scrutiny in the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) land allotment scam, where he and his wife have been summoned by the Lokayukta.

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