Excise officials, including a deputy commissioner, have been suspended on bribery charges
A deputy commissioner of excise and six other excise officers based in Kottayam district have been suspended on charges of collecting cash, liquor and other benefits from licensed bars in the district. The action was taken after Excise Commissioner Seeram Sambasiva Rao launched ‘Operation Bijapur’ to verify the veracity of the allegations.
The suspended officials are S. Asoka Kumar, Deputy Commissioner of Excise, Kottayam; Preventive Officers M. Manuel, Lalu Thankachan, Praveen Sivanand, Santhosh T., Shiju K.; and Civil Excise Officer Visakh AS Minor sanction proceedings were initiated separately against Adarsh GL, Excise Range Inspector, Changanassery, for alleged supervisory lapses.
The Bijapur operation was launched following a series of independent submissions from Kottayam that raised concerns both about violations by licensed facilities and possible malpractice within the enforcement system. The Excise Minister on WhatsApp received complaints of alleged illegal sale of liquor outside permitted hours at three bar hotels near Changanassery.
In an inquiry by the Excise Commissioner, information emerged that regular cash payments and other benefits were allegedly channeled to excise officers through middlemen and that special collections were also organized around the Onam period on behalf of officials at various levels. During an investigation at New York Square Bar, Thrikkodithanam, CCTV footage of visits involving excise duty personnel on August 19, 22 and 24 was found, the investigation report said.
‘Three times a year’
The report added that according to the bar owner, the collections were normally done three times a year – at the time of license renewal, during Onam and during Christmas. Fixed amounts were paid so that the establishment would not face problems in matters requiring excise clearance. He said there was an element of fear and that businesses felt compelled to make such payments. The bar owner confirmed that the Deputy Commissioner of Excise had visited the establishment and said the official ordered the amount to be transferred through an intermediary, Karinkkada Josy, who runs another bar.
‘Direct, central role’
According to the inquiry report, the available material assigns a direct and central role to the Deputy Commissioner of Excise, Kottayam. The fact that the Deputy Commissioner of Excise contacted the intermediary even while the Excise Commissioner’s investigation was ongoing further pointed to an obvious improper connection between the Deputy Commissioner and Mr Josy. The initial denial and subsequent admission that he had arranged for his mobile phone to be remotely wiped when he was being investigated by the deputy commissioner was found to be a separate aggravating circumstance, the report said.
Published – 30 Aug 2026 20:49 IST