In Hyderabad, there are shocking revelations about a scandal involving the city’s largest liquor store, Tonique. An investigation by the Excise and Prohibition department suggests that former Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar and former Excise Commissioner R V Chandravadan allowed Tonique to open multiple outlets in the city in 2016.
During the investigation, officials even questioned a high-ranking official in the Chief Minister’s Office during the BRS regime. They suspect that this official may have played a role in granting permission against state excise laws. Allegations suggest that a government order exempting liquor marts from turnover tax for three years was issued at the request of a BRS MLC and a powerful MP, resulting in a loss of Rs 70 crore to the state.
Furthermore, there were instructions for the Commercial Tax wing and Excise authorities not to conduct any checks or raids on these outlets. Licenses originally granted to sell only foreign liquor were later expanded to include all types of alcohol in these “elite wine shops.” These outlets were allowed to operate until midnight and were permitted to source stock from anywhere in the state, disregarding existing regulations.
Officials claim that the outlet’s license was initially in the names of Amit Reddy and Abhishek Reddy, later transferred to someone named Narasimha. Allegations suggest that close relatives of a CMO official were actively involved in the illicit retail liquor trade in the city. A prominent BRS leader and MLC from Hyderabad are also said to have played a significant role in opening these liquor outlets.
The government granted an import license to Tonique mart, despite excise rules typically restricting such licenses to five-star hotels. These outlets obtained liquor selling licenses without participating in the standard auction process, leading to financial losses for the government. The Wine Dealers Association is urging the new government to address this issue transparently and not brush it aside after initial uproar.
