Kerala excise minister MB Rajesh vows strict action over alleged 'bribe collection' for liquor policy concessions

Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India], May 24 (ANI): Kerala excise minister MB Rajesh said on Friday that the state government will take strict action against those who attempted to collect money in the name of bringing some concessions in the excise policy.
"The government will take strict action against those who attempt to collect money in the name of bringing some concessions in the excise policy. The government has not started any consultation on this year's excise policy," MB Rajesh said while speaking to ANI.
"Even before that, a series of news reports have been coming out over the last month. Based on such media reports, certain people are trying to collect money. We won't allow anyone to engage in illegal activities and we will take strict action," the minister said.
This comes after an audio asking all bar owners in the state to give Rs 2.50 lakh each for "favourable" liquor policies went viral.
The State Excise Minister further said that no meeting or consultation had been held regarding the Excise Policy. "No meeting or consultation was held regarding the excise policy, and even before that, news was spreading that many concessions were going to be there in the forthcoming excise policy. Based on that news, a section of people are trying to collect money from bar owners. We will take strict action," he said.
"I don't know whether they have collected money or constructed a building. The government won't allow anyone to collect money in the name of the excise policy," he added.
Earlier, in a leaked audio clip, the president of the Idukki Federation of Kerala Hotel Association, Animon, allegedly asked all bar owners in his district to give Rs 2.5 lakhs in exchange for a favourable liquor policy for 2024-25.
The clip suggests that the new excise policy will be in place after elections and to get these benefits, they need to "give something in return."
Meanwhile, bar owners' association president Sunilkumar denied that money was collected to give bribes and said that "Animon was suspended on Thursday during the state executive meeting as he was involved in some anti-association activities and was trying to form a new association."
He added that they had collected money through bank accounts for an association building in Thiruvananthapuram and not for anything else. (ANI)