Vijayawada: The Andhra Pradesh Prohibition and Excise Executive Officers Association (APP&EEOA) and the Andhra Pradesh Prohibition and Excise Gazetted Officers Associations (APP&EGOA) have clarified that no charges have been framed against those accused in the liquor syndicate case of 2013. APP&EEOA president Mr Narasimhulu and APP&EGOA general secretary Mr Prabhukumar say that they have approached the Andhra Pradesh Administrative Tribunal (APAT) asking for the accused officers’ cases to be considered for promotion.
The associations have urged the Tribunal to understand the motives behind the cases framed against officers ranging from the rank of sub-inspector to that of assistant commissioner. In 2012, the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) conducted raids on officers of the Department of Prohibition and Excise on the basis of accounts maintained by licensees. Cases were registered against officials for their involvement in the formation of syndicates with benami tenderers.
According to leaders of the APP&EEOA and the APP&EGOA, the officials were not at fault and the department is not responsible for the records maintained by licensees or for the alleged formation of syndicates by benamis. They say that the ACB proposed a departmental inquiry and the persecution of certain officials by the Tribunal for disciplinary proceedings, which caused the entire department to become demoralised.
Charges were framed against officers in 2013, and the government entrusted the cases to the Commissioner of Inquiries (COI) and the Tribunal for disciplinary proceedings. Since the initiation of the cases, there has been no progress in the finalisation of charges even after four years. Leaders of the associations say that all the cases are pending and it is unclear how much time it will take for the finalisation of inquiries.
