Liquor Syndicate leader held in Bangalore

HYDERABAD: The ACB sleuths arrested yet another liquor syndicate leader from Bangalore on Tuesday on charges of paying bribe to excise and police officials for smooth running of their ‘illegal’ liquor trade. B Balaraju Goud, who was absconding since January after his alleged involvement in the liquor bribery was arrested from Bangalore while on his way to Kolkata,  ACB officials said. He was produced before the ACB court and sent to remand. Coming from a  humble background as a toddy taper, Goud went on to become an arrack contractor and finally a person to be reckoned with in the liquor business. He owns seven bars and restaurants in the twin cities and 28 wine shops in and around Hyderabad.He was involved in several cases of trespass, land grabbing and excise cases. He was also  detained under PD Act.  He obtained licences for these shops under ‘benami’ (in the name of his relatives) for which he arranged finances.He coordinated the activities of these shops and manages through his wide network of the enforcement agencies by paying regular bribes, the officials said.Goud confessed that  the flow of non-duty paid liquor to the state is rampant from Haryana, Chandigarh, Karnataka, Maharashtra and that the border checkposts are managed. Flow of NDP liquor is rampant in Rayalaseema districts, Nellore, Ongole, Nizamabad where about 75 per cent of sale is only from NDP liquor, the official said.