Territorial Lieutenant GovernorKiran Bedi on Wednesday said the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has taken up investigation into organised crime causing wrongful loss of revenue to Excise department of Puducherry administration.In a whatsapp message, the former IPS officer said as many as 236 cases were registered during the ongoing lockdown by the local police under the Excise Act resulting in the suspension of 100 liquor licences.She said a few officers of the Excise department and the police department were arrested, suspended and there was also transfer of some police officers.Moreover, a senior Deputy Commissioner of Excise was replaced, she said.The Deputy Commissioner of Excise was transferred on April 21 close on the heels of the arrest of a Deputy Tahsildar and four others for their alleged illegal sale of liquor during the COVID-19 lockdown.Considering the scale of organised crime causing wrongful loss of revenue to the Exchequer in the form of excise duty, the CBI has registered a case and is investigating into the crimes and irregularities committed during the lockdown. Bedi appealed to the people to furnish information to the CBI branch in Puducherry to facilitate the agency to hold the probe.She asked the people also to inform the Chief Grievances Officer Bascarane in her office using his whatsapp number 95005 60001.
