The Haridwar Excise Department inspected 16 liquor shops in an undercover operation after complaints that customers were being charged more than the printed prices. No case of overcharging was detected during the checks, which were conducted for the second consecutive day.
The inspections were ordered by District Excise Officer Kailash Binjola. Department teams visited shops without prior notice and bought liquor while posing as regular customers. They then compared the prices printed on the bottles with the amounts collected by the sellers.
The approach was intended to show how sales were being handled during normal business rather than during a pre-announced inspection. Officials checked whether customers were being charged the prescribed amount for the liquor they purchased.
Areas covered in the inspection
Teams visited liquor outlets in Roshanabad, Salempur, Jamalpur Khurd, Bhagwanpur and Naya Gaon, among other areas of Haridwar district. Separate teams examined the sale process and checked the prices at the shops they visited.
The department said its staff found no mismatch between the marked prices and the amounts paid during the purchases. Since overcharging could not be confirmed at any of the inspected outlets, no shop faced action for overpricing during this operation.
The checks came amid complaints about liquor being sold above its prescribed price. The department has increased surveillance and is using surprise visits to assess compliance without giving shop operators advance information.
Further checks may continue
The excise authorities said liquor must be sold at the prescribed price. They added that any complaint of overcharging would be examined and that action would be taken against the concerned shop according to the rules if the violation is established.
The department has also indicated that unannounced inspections will continue. This means liquor retailers in the district will remain under scrutiny over compliance with approved prices and the handling of customer sales.
Conclusion
The latest undercover inspections covered 16 Haridwar liquor shops and found no overcharging. The Excise Department said it will investigate future complaints and continue surprise checks.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. How many liquor shops were inspected?
The excise teams inspected 16 liquor shops in Haridwar district.
Q. Why were the inspections conducted?
The checks followed complaints that some customers were being charged more than the prices printed on liquor bottles.
Q. How did officials conduct the checks?
Department employees visited the outlets as ordinary customers, bought liquor and compared the marked prices with the amounts collected.
Q. Was overcharging found?
No overcharging was found during the inspections, and no shop faced action for overpricing in this operation.
Q. Which areas were covered?
The teams visited Roshanabad, Salempur, Jamalpur Khurd, Bhagwanpur and Naya Gaon, among other areas.
Q. Who directed the inspections?
The checks were conducted on the directions of District Excise Officer Kailash Binjola.
Q. Will more inspections take place?
The department has indicated that surprise inspections will continue and that complaints will be investigated.
