JORHAT, June 30 - The Excise Department of Golaghat district has achieved an increase in revenue collection from April to May this year by collecting Rs 2,88,92,852, which is an increase of over Rs 42.63 lakh collected during the same period last year.
A district administration source said that the rise in revenue was due to a series of raids and stringent measures undertaken by the Department with the district administration�s support to plug loopholes to prevent leakage of Excise revenue after the new amendment of the Excise Act, 2018, which came into effect.
It may be mentioned that the total revenue collection during 2017-18 was Rs 16,37,71,628.
Since April this year, a total of 48 cases have been detected and 34 people sent to judicial custody for violating provisions of the Act. The number of cases detected between January to May 2018 is 565, the source stated.
During the raids this year, 260 litres of illegally distilled liquor, 130 litres of fermented wash, 4 distilling apparatus, 191.8 litres of pachuwai, 1.8 litres of new country spirit, 18.9 litres of IMFL and 1.950 litres of beer were seized by the department.
Further, during the first week of this month, seven people reportedly died after consuming hooch in Barpathar of Dhansiri sub-division in Golaghat district.
Police then arrested two Excise Department staff on charges of their alleged involvement in the illicit liquor trade.
The duo were among six Excise Department staff who were placed under suspension by the Government with immediate effect on June 4 after reports of the deaths were published on June 3.
