‘Sagar Gold’ Ban Without Chemical Test Lands Jabalpur Excise Officer In Trouble; Reply Sought In 15 Days
Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Jabalpur assistant excise commissioner Sanjeev Kumar Dubey faces action for banning the sale of 'Sagar Gold' liquor without a chemical test or permission from the competent authority. Dubey issued the order on Sept 06 after deaths in Sagar district following consumption of spurious liquor sold under the same brand name. He described the liquor as toxic and prohibited its…
Assistant Excise Commissioner Sanjeev Kumar Dubey in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, has found himself in hot water after banning the sale of Sagar Gold liquor without conducting a chemical test or obtaining permission from the higher authorities. This decision was made following deaths in Sagar district allegedly caused by consuming spurious liquor under the same brand name. Dubey labeled the liquor as toxic and prohibited its sale across the Jabalpur district.
However, his actions have come under scrutiny as the Commercial Tax Department issued a show-cause notice to Dubey, demanding a detailed explanation within 15 days. According to the department, his actions violated Rule 5 of the Madhya Pradesh Civil Services (Conduct) Rules, 1966, and could be punished under Rule 10 of the Madhya Pradesh Civil Services (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules.
The department has threatened to take an ex parte decision if Dubey fails to provide a satisfactory reply within the stipulated time frame.
Initially, Dubey directed all assistant district excise officers and excise sub-inspectors to cease the sale of Sagar Gold, seal and seize the stocks, and forward the liquor for forensic testing until the test report was received. The ban was to remain in effect until the test results were available, with strict action anticipated for any violations.
However, the same day, Dubey made an amendment to his order after the Jabalpur control room reported that there was no stock of Sagar Gold left in the district. Following this, officials were instructed to carry out general checks at liquor shops and take necessary action in regions where country-made liquor is manufactured, ruling out any further measures beyond that.
Dubey's troubles are not new. In 2021, he was removed as Bhopal assistant excise commissioner due to allegations of illegal liquor transportation, a charge raised by the Congress party in the state legislature. Additionally, he has a history of involvement in financial irregularities, having been implicated in a Rs 41 crore fake treasury challan case in Indore years ago.
The government had then removed him from his position in Indore and transferred him to Dhar. Recently, Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan was seen stopping a convoy and assisting an injured accident victim on the Bhopal-Mandideep road, as captured in a video.
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