Ahmedabad: In the backdrop of the recent
hooch tragedy in the state that claimed over 130 lives, the
Gujarat Assembly on Tuesday passed a bill proposing stringent
punishment upto death penalty to deal with illicit liquor
trade.
The Bombay Prohibition (Gujarat Amendment) Bill 2009 was
passed with a majority vote in the House.
"We have taken a historic step to pass such a bill in
the current session of the Assembly, to amend prohibition law
making it very stringent with an aim to control illicit liquor
tragedy," Minister of State for Home, Amit Shah, said while
introducing the bill.
Under the amendment, the government has sought to award
death penalty for manufacturing or selling hooch provided the
consumption of the product results into any death.
A new section 65A has been inserted which provides for
punishment for manufacturing spurious liquor.
Opposition Congress members were not present in the
assembly as they have been boycotting the proceedings over
their demands for extensive debate on hooch deaths.
The amendment says that those indulging in manufacture,
transportation, stocking and sale of illicit liquor shall be
liable for punishment of upto 10 years. In no case, the
punishment would be less than seven years.
Another new section 94A has been proposed to be inserted
which provides for punishment for failure in duty by
prohibition officials or police officers.
Under this section, the officials are liable for
punishment of upto one year for negligence in duty.
Moreover, vehicles transporting liquor would be
confiscated by the authorities.
"It is also provided that conveying vehicles used in
transport of the liquor shall not be released on bond or
surety, in cases of where the quantity of the seized liquor
exceeds the quantity as may be prescribed by rules, till the
final order of the court," the bill stated.
The bill will be sent to the Governor for approval.
After the hooch tragedy, liquor baron Vijay Mallya
had slammed Gujarat government for its prohibition policy.
However, with this step, Gujarat government aims at
making prohibition law more stringent in the state.
Bureau Report
