BJP alleges Rs 6k-cr excise department scam, demands minister quit

Bengaluru: BJP Tuesday reiterated its demand that RB Timmapur resign as excise minister, alleging widespread bribery, transfer rackets, and political interference in the department. Members alleged a Rs 6,000 crore scam and pointed to audio recordings and Lokayukta complaints from licence applicants and Excise Contract Owners Association to back their claims. Opposition leader R Ashoka said, "Bribes are taken to grant licences and facilitate transfers. Related audio recordings have been released, and complaints have been filed with the Lokayukta. Therefore, Timmapur should resign immediately."
He alleged, "An audio clip featuring Timmapur's son has surfaced. Bribes of Rs 15,000 to Rs 20,000 are collected from each of the 14,229 liquor outlets every month — Rs 21 crore per month and Rs 252 crore per year." On transfers, he said, "Deputy commissioners pay Rs 2.5-3.5 crore, superintendents Rs 25-30 lakh, deputy superintendents Rs 30-40 lakh, excise inspectors Rs 40-50 lakh, and constables Rs 5-8 lakh. Constables themselves run four to five bars. Officials instructed liquor outlets to stock extra for CM and deputy CM programmes in Hubballi. This ruins homes. Siddaramaiah talks about lessons in sensitivity. Telling people to drink liquor is their idea of sensitivity." He said, "The president of the liquor sellers' association, Guruswamy, complained to Rahul Gandhi, but Siddaramaiah has not acted. He is no longer a strong CM." Ashoka claimed Timmapur's transfer powers were restricted to only three districts, with the rest controlled by "unseen hands". "The minister told a close friend that he has no control over the transfer of officials in his own department," he said. HT Manju of JD(S) alleged CL7 licences for bars and restaurants were being denied due to "petty politics" and caste considerations. "In Mandya, the DC denied a CL7 licence because the applicant belonged to the Vokkaliga community and was linked to JD(S). He was told to approach the CM or his son Yathindra with a Kuruba delegation to get approval," he claimed.