Liquor distribution during Sukhbir Badal's March 20 rally [Photo: The Tribune]

General News

Badal Dal-liquor connection raises a stink in Fatehgarh Sahib constituency

By Sikh Siyasat Bureau

April 29, 2014

Fatehgarh Sahib, Punjab (April 29, 2014): According to media reports, [i]n major embarrassment to Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal), the Mandi Gobindgarh police nabbed Kaushal Mishra, the district president of the SAD (Badal)’s migrant wing, with 84 bottles of illicit liquor late on April 27 night. A case under the excise and taxation act was registered.

According to Hindustan Times (HT) on Monday (April 28), some Youth Akali Dal (YAD) leaders were seen loading boxes of liquor in a car at Fatehgarh Sahib just an hour before the vends were to be closed till voting day, April 30.

According to HT: [o]n Monday, around 5 pm, an hour before vends were to be closed as per election schedule, a member of the youth wing of SAD (Badal) and a relative of a senior Badal Dal leader were seen loading cases of liquor into a Honda sedan from a vend close to the State Bank of India.

Earlier, there was buzz in the Fatehgarh Sahib constituency on Friday and Sunday night that liquor was being distributed to voters in Mandi Gobindgarh. But when a team of the Election Commission visited a tip-off spot, it found nothing. A senior member of the team said it appeared the information had been leaked.