Thiruvananthapuram (Keralam) [India], September 3 (ANI): What began with a complaint received on the mobile phone of Kerala Excise Commissioner Seeram Sambasiva Rao ended with a late-night questioning of a senior Excise officer and the suspension of seven officials in Kottayam district.
The covert operation, code-named ‘Operation Bijapur’, was launched to verify allegations of systematic corruption involving Excise officials and licensed bar establishments in the Changanassery area. The preliminary inquiry has allegedly uncovered a network through which officials collected cash, liquor, food and other benefits from bars, often through intermediaries.
The operation was kept so secret that even the Commissioner’s local departmental machinery was reportedly kept out of the loop.
On August 27, Rao informed a colleague that he was leaving for Bijapur in Karnataka and would return after three days. But Bijapur was not his destination.
Instead, leaving his official vehicle and escort behind, the Commissioner travelled to Kottayam and checked into a private bar hotel. Accompanied by Additional Excise Commissioner R Jayashankar and a small team, he began personally verifying allegations against officers of his own department.
The move followed complaints received by Rao and Excise Minister M Liju regarding alleged sale of liquor beyond permitted hours at three bar hotels in the Changanassery area. A separate complaint alleged that an intermediary was collecting money on behalf of senior Excise officials.
The initial complaint had reached the Commissioner through a phone call from a person working in the Kottayam area. Rao reportedly contacted the complainant again, assured the person of confidentiality and obtained a detailed complaint and supporting material through WhatsApp.
Similar complaints had also reached Minister Liju.
The decision was then taken to verify the allegations without alerting the officers under scrutiny.
Rather than following the department’s conventional inspection mechanism, Rao and the team began collecting information directly from bar owners and managers.
People who had provided information were asked to meet the Commissioner at his temporary place of stay. Their allegations, documents and other evidence were examined in detail.
The inquiry allegedly found that cash, liquor, food and other benefits were being regularly collected from bars through intermediaries. Special collections were also allegedly made during occasions such as Onam, with officials at different levels purportedly receiving money or gifts.
The investigation subsequently focused on the alleged role of Kottayam Deputy Excise Commissioner S Asoka Kumar and an intermediary identified as Karinkada Josy.
The team also examined CCTV footage and other evidence relating to alleged visits by Excise personnel to bar establishments.
On August 28, despite it being a dry day on account of Sree Narayana Guru Jayanti, Excise Vigilance officials joined the operation. Vigilance SP B Krishnakumar reportedly reached Kottayam that night and became part of the investigation.
At one stage, investigators are said to have obtained direct evidence through a phone conversation involving a bar establishment and the Deputy Excise Commissioner.
According to the inquiry, bar representatives were asked to contact Asoka Kumar through WhatsApp. During the conversation, the officer allegedly referred to the expenses associated with the Onam celebrations and sought a substantial amount, while also indicating through whom the money should be handed over.
Investigators then visited the premises of the alleged intermediary and collected details of his communications and transactions with the Deputy Excise Commissioner.
The preliminary inquiry later recorded evidence of alleged collections totalling Rs 55,000 from four establishments New York Square, Blue Star, Breezeland and Panchavadi — through the intermediary in connection with the Deputy Excise Commissioner.
A separate alleged collection of Rs 26,000 from New York Square Bar was also examined.
According to the suspension order, the Rs 26,000 was allegedly handed over in four envelopes to Excise personnel. Civil Excise Officer Visakh AS and Preventive Officer Lalu Thankachan were among those whose alleged roles were examined.
The inquiry also found prima facie evidence that certain officials had received liquor, beer and food items from the establishment.
The most dramatic phase of the operation unfolded in the early hours of August 29.
At around 1 am, Rao and Vigilance SP Krishnakumar reached Asoka Kumar’s residence in Changanassery.
The questioning initially began with a simple request to clarify certain matters. But investigators soon confronted the Deputy Excise Commissioner with the evidence gathered during the covert operation.
Asoka Kumar reportedly denied the allegations initially, claiming that rivals and enemies were making complaints against him and asserting that he had been working honestly.
The Commissioner, however, told him that the team had documentary and other evidence and asked him to explain the transactions.
After being confronted with evidence allegedly showing collections from bar establishments and the involvement of officials at different levels, the Deputy Excise Commissioner is reported to have verbally admitted receiving Rs 55,000 through the intermediary.
He later declined to provide a written statement, according to the inquiry.
His mobile phone was subsequently seized for examination. Investigators found that data had allegedly been deleted from the device after it was seized. Technical assistance was sought to examine the deletion and the possibility of remote access to the phone.
The department treated the alleged deletion of data as an aggravating circumstance, and seven officials were suspended: Kottayam Deputy Excise Commissioner S Asoka Kumar, Preventive Officer M Manuel, Preventive Officer Lalu Thankachan, Preventive Officer Praveen Sivanand, Preventive Officer Santhosh T, Preventive Officer (Grade) Shiju K, and Civil Excise Officer Visakh AS.
Minor-penalty proceedings have also been initiated against Changanassery Excise Range Inspector Adarsh GL, over alleged supervisory lapses.
The inquiry reportedly examined CCTV footage from New York Square Bar at Thrikkodithanam, including visits by Excise personnel on August 19, 22 and 24.
The department is continuing proceedings and further action is expected based on the findings.
Regarding the name of the operation, the name Bijapur itself was reportedly chosen as a cover to prevent the actual destination and purpose of the Commissioner’s movement from becoming known within the department.
By telling his colleague that he was travelling to Bijapur, Rao was able to maintain the secrecy of the operation while travelling to Kottayam for the probe.
The unusual operation also reflected the sensitivity of the allegations: the official machinery normally responsible for acting on complaints was itself under scrutiny.
What began as a confidential complaint on the Excise Commissioner’s phone subsequently developed into a wider departmental investigation into alleged recurring ‘collections’ from licensed bars, intermediaries, gifts and other benefits. (ANI)
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