The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : `Assets of suspects were not ascertained'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, May 07, 2006

Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

`Assets of suspects were not ascertained'

Staff Reporter

Excise Inspector deposes before Sadashiva panel

BANGALORE: No serious efforts were made to ascertain the assets of the suspects involved supplying spurious liquor, which led to the deaths of several persons in Nelamangala taluk of Bangalore Rural district, before the incident occurred in April 2005.

A.C. Kanade, Excise Inspector, who was in charge of some parts of Nelamangala taluk, said this before the Justice A.J. Sadashiva Commission of Inquiry on Friday. The commission is inquiring into the spurious liquor-related deaths in Nelamangala taluk, and Sakleshpur taluk in Hassan district.

Answering questions by Justice Sadashiva, Mr. Kanade said that during his 13-month tenure as Excise Inspector of Peenya Range, he had information about the antecedents of the four suspects — Vijayashakti, Krishnappa, Girijamma and Prakash — as they were party to various offences under the Excise Act. Lack of adequate staff prevented him from collecting information on them. He could not ascertain whether the suspects possessed any other immovable properties apart from their houses, he said.

Mr. Kanade, who was suspended two days after the incident, said the license for the retail sale of arrack in Chikkabidarakallu was granted by the Excise Commissioner based on his recommendatory report. But the shop was closed following protests from the public.

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