Communist Sponsored Illicit Spirit Trade in Kerala

 Illicit spirit recovered, four arrested in Kochi

Pioneer News Service | Kochi

The flow of spirit is continuing unabated in the State and in the past few days excise and police were able to arrest several persons, including the son of a prominent CPI(M) leader in Kollam the other day.

Police on Friday intercepted two cars carrying cans of spirit. One car was taken into custody in the city itself while the other gave the policemen a chase which finally ended when the culprits were arrested in the Palarivattom bypass road.

Police Commissioner Varghese, while speaking to mediapersons said that, while the police were doing routine checks two cars sped away and this aroused suspision in the officers resulting in the arrest and seizure of the spirit cans.

The State has been witnessing an unabated supply of illicit liquor for the past several days and the police and the excise were able to arrest some persons in this connection as well as retrive the liquor. However, sources in the police confirmed to The Pioneer that the arrests were only the tip of the ice berg and the flow of liquor is continuing in the State as before.

The arrest of the son of a CPI(M) leader, Rishalal from Kollam following the chase he gave to the police from Alappuzha has created some uneasy questions for the police and the officials as the CPI(M) leaders and relatives are getting arrested more and more in connection with the spirit seizures .

Top police officers and excise officers told The Pioneer that this could lead to the stalling of the raids and the arrest of spirit smugglers. There are also reports of the presence of the son of a powerful CPI(M) leader in the spirit smuggling. Police officials told The Pioneer on conditions of anonymity that the future spirit raids will suffer following this and that there are attempts on the part of the ruling dispension to put an end to the raids being carried out in the spirit dens of the State.

After the arrack ban in the State implemented by AK Antony, ten years ago the flow of spirit is creating disturbances in the social life of the State. The CPI(M) and for that matter the Left Front wants the arrack ban to be reversed but the party and the LDF expects a backlash from the women voters of the State and this has ended in procrastinating the lifting of the arrack ban.

Police sources told The Pioneer that several CPI(M) leaders are supporting such illicit lobbies as there are heavy funding from these lobbies for the party coffers. The spirit gangs are also relieved at the presence of such political support as there would be an hesitation on the part of the police and other law enforcing agencies to proceed in such situations.

A former Abkari businees man told The Pioneer “The spirit business is for those who have come into this field without any support or background. These people have earned huge sum of money from this trade”.