CHENNAI: A section of Tasmac employees has urged the officials to check the stock and cash available in the shops to ascertain if the liquor had been sold in black market during the three days of leave, declared after the death of former Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa. The shops remained closed from December 6 to December 8 after Jayalalithaa’s death and this was a rare occasion when Tamac shop remained closed for such a long time. There are allegations that some of the Tasmac staff resorted to selling the liquor in black market during the three days.
The stock register and the available cash on December 5 will show the exactly show the stocks available. If the bottles had been sold in the three days, the stock would have depleted. The cash and stock available in the morning of December 9 when the shops are opened will give an indication of any sale of liquor that might have occurred during the three days.
Officials should visit the Tasmac shops early in the day and verify if the stock and cash with the shops tally. If there is any mismatch, they should take action on the staff who have carried out illegal sale of liquor. A Tasmac employee, who did not want to reveal his name, thousands of workers would be found guilty if such surprise checks are made. Strong action against such employees would act as a deterrent for similar action in future by Tasmac employees.
The normal sale of Tasmac shops throughout the state would be around Rs 60 to Rs 65 crore. A total of about Rs 200 crore could be the loss in the three days from December 6. The sale of bottles could have been higher in December 5 as people used to stock liquor bottles in advance before such a long leave.
