Expressing shock and grief over deaths suspected due to spurious liquor consumption in some areas, Punjab Congress president Sunil Jakhar on Friday urged the Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh to get the probe completed at the earliest into the incident and take stern strict action against the guilty.

“The Congress Government will not spare those involved in the crime. CM has ordered high-level probe into unfortunate incidents. Investigation needs to be completed in a speedy and timely manner,” he said.

But at the same time, he said that the accused in this case should be given exemplary punishment so that no one could again play with lives of the people.“Such liquor mafia is not only endangering the health of the people but also doing irreparable harm to the state exchequer besides social structure. These anti-social elements should be punished as per the law by cracking down on liquor smugglers across the State and counterfeit liquor makers,” he said.

REJECTING COMMISSIONER INQUIRY, SAD DEMANDS JUDICIAL PROBE BY A SITTING HC JUDGE

Rejecting the Divisional Commissioner level inquiry ordered into the multiple hooch tragedies in Amritsar, Batala and Tarn Taran by Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh, the Shiromani Akali Dal on Friday demanded a judicial probe by a sitting judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court into the matter.

“The Chief Minister should not only hand over the responsibility of inquiring into the hooch tragedy to the High Court, but also include Rs 5,600 crore excise revenue loss, the sale of illegal liquor directly from distilleries, sale of spurious liquor from illegal distilleries and bottling plants patronised by Congress leaders and inter-state liquor smuggling in the ambit of judicial probe,” said SAD spokesperson Daljit Singh Cheema adding that this was the only way to break the back of the illegal liquor industry besides bringing the guilty to book.

Cheema said that the Divisional Commissioner level inquiry was “too little too late” and would not serve any purpose. “Vague terms of reference, which are limited to the incidents, have been given. In such a situation, no officer will go after Congress leaders who patronise liquor smuggling and sale of spurious liquor,” he added.

Stating that the multiple hooch tragedies had exposed the under belly of the illegal liquor trade in Punjab, Cheema said that it was not too late to take corrective measures to ensure such tragedies do not recur.