Breather for Candidates: Karthika Masam Reduces' Expenditure on Liquor

HYDERABAD: The ongoing Karthika Masam has come as a breather for many contestants as consumption of liquor is relatively less during this auspicious month. This implies that there will be a slight reduction in their ‘unofficial’ poll expenditure. The period ends on December 12.

Several contestants buy and distribute liquor in large quantities to woo voters at least two days before the polling date. The festive season and religious events have come as a blessing in disguise for the candidates, an official from the prohibition and excise department said.

Soon after the election code came into effect on October 9, the department launched a crackdown, which led to the arrest of 229 persons in Hyderabad. A total of 404 cases have been registered for possessing liquor in violation of norms, apart from narcotics, he said. The total worth of seized material, including vehicles, stood at '4.5 crore.

Fourteen special teams of the department have carried out searches at godowns, houses and vehicles, mostly autorickshaws, based on information from various sources.

A few days ago, excise department personnel were checking a private travel bus from Chennai near the Nampally Metro Rail station. Around the same time, a motorcyclist approached the bus driver to collect a consignment. He and the driver were picked up and they were found to have 60 bottles of foreign liquor.

In a separate search operation at the Secunderabad railway station, officials arrested persons natives of Pune for attempting to smuggle 61 kg of ganja in Konark Express.