Thiruvananthapuram: Excise minister T.P. Ramakrishnan denied the allegation of the government’s nexus with beer and wine parlours and said that the High Court had not sought its views while considering a petition of some beer and wine parlours on the Kannur- Kuttip-uram stretch.
He also said that the 13 beer and wine parlours, nine toddy shops and three retail outlets along the stretch that were reopened have been shut again in view of the High Court remarks on Tuesday.
“The government was not a party to the petition filed by the some beer and wine parlours. Hence, its view was not sought before issuing the earlier directive,” he told reporters here on Wednesday.
The government would take any further decision on the liquor outlets along Thiruvananthapuram – Cherthala and Kannur – Kuttipuram stretch only after getting the final orders from the court. Of the 13 beer and wine parlours allowed to open on the Kannur Kuttipuram stretch, four were in Kozhikode, six in Kannur and three in Malappuram. Of the nine toddy shops, five were in Kozhikode and four in Kannur. Two Beverages Corporation outlets in Kannur and one in Kozhikode that were reopened were also closed by Tuesday evening.
It may be recalled that the excise department had allowed the reopening of liquor outlets along Kannur- Kuttipuram stretch after obtaining a legal opinion from the advocate-general on the High Court order in this regard. Since the move triggered strong protests and allegations of nexus between the government and liquor sellers, the excise decided not to issue any more licences and even sought government’s opinion on allowing liquor outlets along Thiruvananthapuram – Cherthala stretch based of the HC directive.
