Kerala’s Excise Department suspends a deputy excise commissioner and six other officials after a preliminary inquiry into an alleged bribery racket. The department says there is evidence of unauthorized cash and liquor collections from bars, with an intermediary allegedly helping facilitate these collections for the deputy excise commissioner. It also cites findings involving the supply of liquor and food items.
According to NDTV, Excise Commissioner Seeram Sambasiva Rao orders the suspensions following directions from Excise Minister M Liju. Times of India adds that the inquiry leads to additional departmental action, including minor-penalty proceedings against another inspector for alleged supervisory lapses.
Both reports describe the suspensions as the result of an internal review that follows investigative activity by the department, rather than detailing any court outcome or charges. They also agree on the core allegation: officials are accused of taking or enabling irregular payments connected to bar-linked liquor collections, with middlemen and related supplies playing a role.
