Kohima: The Against Corruption and Unabated Taxation (ACAUT) Nagaland has filed an FIR before the Nagaland State Vigilance Commission on the issue of ‘pilferage of 2054 cases of IMFL’ by the Excise Department, which it alleged occurred on May 26. A copy of the FIR made available to the media stated that as per the figures laid out by the Commissioner of Excise, 85,065 bottles and cans or a total of 4448 cases of IMFL were supposed to be destroyed by the Excise Office on May 26.
It informed that ACAUT Nagaland, along with several other NGOs, visited the destruction site and found discrepancies. ACAUT stated that on counting the number of IMFL that was unloaded, it was found that only 2394 cases were destroyed.
This, according to ACAUT, leaves 2054 cases of IMFL ‘missing.’ ACAUT reminded that the Superintendent of Excise, K. Y. Sangtam, ‘while not refuting the claim of the ACAUT, released a media statement that 3480 cases of IMFL were destroyed which means 968 cases are still missing.’
While rejecting the statement as ‘incorrect,’ ACAUT however stated that the ‘department in clarifying that 3480 cases were destroyed is also tacitly agreeing with the ACAUT observation that huge quantity of IMFL was diverted to the black market.’ It stated that the ‘2054 missing cases, running into tens of lakhs’ cannot be manipulated by a few mid-level officers ‘unless with the express understanding of their top officials.’ (UNI)