Bengaluru, 5 Nov

Karnataka Wine Merchants’ Association alleged that the excise minister RB Thimmapur’s office has collected Rs 16 crore from various excise department officers by transferring them in and around Bengaluru.

While the Minister refuted the allegation, Opposition BJP got new ammunition to target the ruling Congress. The Leader of Opposition in the Assembly, R Ashoka alleged that there was a Rs 700 crore liquor scam in the State.

In a letter to Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot, Chief Secretary and the Lokayukta, the Association alleged that the Minister's office is involved in rampant corruption.

Explaining further, the Association said about Rs 16 crore has been collected on a single day from three deputy commissioners of excise, nine excise superintendents, 13 deputy superintendents of excise and 20 excise inspectors “for transferring in and around Bengaluru from past 2 to 3.5 years, as their tenure was getting completed within a month.”

Naming a deputy commissioner, the letter said the officer was collecting money somewhere between Rs 25 lakh to Rs 40 lakh from each officer for transferring them.

The Association said Rs 2.5 crore to Rs three crore was collected from deputy commissioners (excise) working in Bengaluru.

The association has demanded action against those involved "in this corruption." “No such thing has happened. You must ask them why they went to pay money. Why would anyone pay if everything is correct?” Thimmapur told reporters at Shiggaon in Haveri district.

He also assured to take action against officers if they have collected money. He said the Association has alleged that CL7 bar licences were given after collecting a bribe amount of anywhere between Rs 30 lakh to Rs 70 lakh each by the Minister.

In the last one year, 1,000 such illegal licences were given by the excise minister, amounting to Rs 300 crore to Rs 700 crore in corruption, Ashoka alleged.

“After the Maharshi Valmiki ST Development Corporation Scam, MUDA land scam, KIADB land scam, Waqf Scam, this Liquor scam is yet another fresh addition to the series of scams by CM Siddaramaiah led Congress Government in the last 17 months,” the BJP leader alleged. —PTI