Kolkata, March 30 (IANS) The Excise Department has seized a large quantity of raw materials and equipment used in the manufacture of spurious liquor in the poll-bound West Bengal’s Siliguri, a senior Election Commission official said on Monday.
According to reports, around 1,560 litres of OP spirit (surgical spirit) were recovered from Siliguri in north Bengal during the raid based on a tip-off.
The substance is a key ingredient in the production of illicit liquor. Officials suspect that a plan was in place to flood the West Bengal market with illicit liquor ahead of the Assembly elections to influence voters.
The Excise Department has shared this intelligence with the Election Commission, which has stepped up surveillance and precautionary measures against such activities.
In total, materials worth Rs 62.40 lakh have been confiscated. Apart from the OP spirit, the seizure included counterfeit labels of two well-known liquor brands, fake holograms, bottle caps, and a large number of empty plastic bottles.
Officials recovered around 14,000 counterfeit labels of one brand and more than 3,000 of another, along with 984 fake holograms, 440 bottle caps, and 35 empty bottles from the site.
The Election Commission clarified that no legitimate market liquor was found during the operation. According to the Excise Department, all the recovered items were meant for manufacturing spurious liquor.
Officials said the spirit was to be processed and sold as branded alcohol using fake labels and holograms to pass off the products as genuine. Acting on specific intelligence inputs, the excise officials raided the premises and destroyed the materials.
Preliminary findings suggest that the attempt to produce spurious liquor was aimed at luring voters, while also posing a serious public health risk. The Election Commission noted that such illicit liquor could cause severe health issues if consumed.
Polling for the 294 assembly constituencies in West Bengal will be held in two phases on April 23 and 29, with counting scheduled for May 4.
The Election Commission has reiterated its commitment to ensuring free, fair and peaceful elections, and has deployed observers across all constituencies.
–IANS
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