Patna: Prohibition, excise and registration minister Madan Sahani on Thursday said the state govt will register cases not only against those involved in liquor smuggling but also against the manufacturers of liquor seized anywhere in state.Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the Jan Sunwai programme at the JD(U) state headquarters, Sahani said the department has been directed to initiate legal proceedings against liquor manufacturing companies whenever consignments are seized in the state.“Clear instructions have been issued that if liquor is seized anywhere in Bihar, a police case will also be lodged against the company that manufactured it,” he said.Liquor has been banned in Bihar since April 2016, with its manufacture, storage, transportation, sale and consumption prohibited under state law.Sahani said the govt has prepared a detailed action plan to curb illegal storage, transportation and sale of liquor. “Strict action is being taken against mafias involved in liquor smuggling and the illegal liquor trade,” he said.Warning violators of stringent action, the minister said the law would take its course against anyone found breaking it.He also claimed that prohibition has brought positive social changes, particularly among poor and working-class families. “Earlier, a significant portion of their income was spent on liquor. Since prohibition, household savings have increased and family life has become more stable,” he said.The minister added that the liquor ban has also contributed to a decline in violence against women.
