Corroborating The Statesman expose dated June 6, titled ‘The Great Bengal Liquor Loot: Excise Dept altered policy to siphon off thousands of crores to Abhishek Banerjee, says confidential report’, one of the biggest bodies representing foreign liquor retailers in the state has accused distributors of imposing unauthorised transport and handling charges on licensed liquor shops since 2021, demanding the state Excise Department launch a probe in what it describes as a systematic violation of the state’s liquor distribution policy.
The Statesman had reported a possible liquor scam in the state under which the liquor policy in West Bengal was altered in 2017 to introduce West Bengal State Beverages Corporation Ltd (WBSBCL), or Bevco, to enable the state to monopolise liquor distribution. The policy was then tweaked in 2021 to introduce the system of distributors allegedly at the behest of Trinamool Congress national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee. The new policy change was structured in a manner that allegedly compelled erstwhile private wholesalers (55 Trades) to pay levies, resulting in collections running into thousands of crores of rupees.
In a letter submitted to the Commissioner of Excise, the Society for the Welfare of West Bengal Foreign Liquor Licences has alleged that retailers have been compelled to bear transport-related expenses in contravention to the liquor distribution policy.
The association’s secretary, Bijon Kumar Patra, claimed that the issue arose after the introduction of the distributorship model under the WBSBCL, or BEVCO.
“… during practical application of this module (the new provisions), it transpired that the distributors by using their position and influence with the high ranking officers of Excise Department, coerced the retailers and started levying Rs 10 to 13 per crate for such supplies. The said levy of unauthorised charges was immediately brought to the notices of the Excise Officers, but unfortunately, our pleas were repeatedly ignored. As a result of the same, the retailers were forced to bear such illegal charges, as denial to pay the same would lead to stoppage of supply,” the letters said.
All such expenses were paid by the retailers since the introduction the ‘Distributorship System’ in 2021. Retailers were also allegedly required to pay loading and unloading charges of around Rs 3 per crate each.
Another issue highlighted in the letter concerns the absence of documentation for the payments. The association alleges that since distributors were inducted into the supply chain by BEVCO, retailers have not been provided with receipts, bills or any documentary proof showing that transport or labour charges collected from them were actually paid to transporters or handling agencies.
“Most importantly since the induction of distributors by BEVCO, and the introduction of the new delivery system throughout West Bengal, the retailers have not received any Receipt/Bill or any document showing the receipt of money paid to transporters by the retailers,” the letter added.
“All the payments were made in cash by us. We did not get any receipts or cash memos,” the retailers alleged.
“According to our rough estimates, retailers across the state have spent nearly Rs 125 crore on such charges over the years,” Patra told The Statesman.
Patra’s organisation represents around 700 licensed liquor outlets across Bengal.
There are around 6,000 liquor shops in the state, an official of the West Bengal Excise Department told The Statesman.
In its appeal to the Excise Commissioner, the organisation sought an immediate investigation into the matter and requested the department to stop the collection of what it describes as unauthorised additional transport charges. It also urged the authorities to ensure strict compliance with the West Bengal liquor distribution policy across the state and remove inconsistencies in its implementation.