Bombay HC quashes excise notice to liquor shop

Mumbai: The Bombay high court has quashed a state excise department notice to a liquor shop owner, seeking Rs 28 lakh as transfer fees. A division bench of Justice B.R. Gavai and Justice M.S. Karnik was hearing a petition filed by Vikrant Chug, a Pune-based liquor shop owner, challenging a demand notice issued to him by the superintendent of the state excise department. The superintendent had granted him seven days’ time to deposit Rs 28 lakh.

In his petition, Chug said that he had gifted his shop after the Supreme Court ordered that no liquor shops or liquor selling restaurants be allowed to operate within a 500m radius of the highways. The SC also directed the state not to renew licenses of such liquor shops. The excise department, too, did not levy any charges as Chug shifted his business in compliance with the SC order.

But in 2017, the SC clarified its order and allowed sale of liquor in shops which fell within municipal corporation and council limits.