Minister Harpal Cheema : In a major action against illicit liquor trade, the Punjab Excise Department carried out two enforcement operations on August 30 in Ludhiana East Range, exposing a premium liquor refilling racket and seizing a large stock of smuggled and illegal alcohol.
Sharing details in an official statement, Finance, Planning, Excise and Taxation Minister Harpal Cheema said the raids were conducted swiftly on the basis of intelligence inputs under the supervision of Excise Commissioner Jitendra Jorwal and senior officers. He said the operation not only uncovered illegal consignments but also revealed a dangerous practice where premium liquor bottles were being refilled with poor-quality alcohol, putting consumer health at risk. “This is outright fraud and a serious public safety concern, which the government will not tolerate,” he asserted.
During the first raid, Excise teams along with local police busted a network in Ludhiana where high-end imported liquor bottles—such as Glenlivet, Johnnie Walker Gold Label, and Chivas Regal—were being refilled with cheaper IMFL and PML to cheat customers and evade taxes. Two persons, Amit Vij and Pankaj Saini, were arrested. Officials seized 106 empty bottles, 39 refilled bottles, bottling equipment, and a Swift Dzire car. An FIR has been registered at Police Station Division No. 3, Ludhiana, and further investigation is underway.
In another raid the same day, Excise officials caught Vikramjeet Singh in Village Burma (Samrala) with 60 bottles of liquor marked “For Sale in Chandigarh only,” which had been smuggled into Punjab. He was arrested, and a case was registered at Police Station Samrala under the Punjab Excise Act, 1914.
Reiterating the state’s zero-tolerance approach, Minister Harpal Cheema said strict enforcement campaigns will continue to dismantle illegal liquor networks and curb the supply of spurious alcohol. He said regular raids, surprise checks, and inter-state coordination will intensify. He also appealed to people to stay alert and report suspicious activities to Excise or Police authorities, stressing that community cooperation is essential to end the menace of illicit liquor in Punjab.