SIT formed to probe Sonipat liquor godown issue, illicit liquor sale in Haryana

Haryana government has constituted a three-member SIT, headed by a senior IAS officer to probe the missing of a huge stock of liquor from two godowns in Sonipat and the alleged illicit liquor sale across the state.

Chandigarh (Haryana): The Haryana government said on Friday a three-member special investigation team (SIT), which will be headed by a senior IAS officer, has been constituted to investigate the huge stock of liquor going missing from two godowns in Sonipat, and the alleged sale of illicit liquor in the state.

With several bootlegging incidents being reported during the lockdown when liquor vends were closed, the SIT will also probe sale of illicit liquor in the state during the period, Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij said.

Liquor vends in Haryana were closed from March 27 after the lockdown was announced, but have now reopened from May 6 after the state government decided to open the vends.

He said a senior IAS officer -- either Ashok Khemka, Sanjeev Kaushal or T C Gupta -- will head the SIT while IPS officer Subhash Yadav and Additional Excise Commissioner Vijay Singh will also be its members and jointly investigate the matter.

The scope of the SIT, which was earlier to probe the case of seized liquor going missing from the godowns in Sonipat, will now also investigate the sale of illicit liquor, Vij said, according to an official statement.