Affluence of Incohol

Karnataka’s excise minister, who vowed to put an end to bootlegging found his enthusiasm going down a notch.

Karnataka’s excise minister, who vowed to put an end to bootlegging and bring liquor retailers in line, has found his enthusiasm going down a notch, and no thanks to his own bravado.

Minister MP Renukacharya, who had busted a few bootleggers in full media glare recently, announced that he would now turn his attention to wine shops overcharging customers, and asked the press to publicise his mobile number so that anyone who is charged `even a rupee above the maximum retail price printed on liquor bottles could call him directly and complain.

That was enough to give him two months of sleepless nights, as he started getting thousands of complaint calls. “Once dusk fell, every time the mobile rang, it would give me jitters,’’ he was quoted as saying. Callers invariably complained of overcharging by liquor shops. They would also ask him if he had taken down the name and address of the joint. While many grievances were genuine, there were also calls cursing him for his policies and actions. There were also tips on extending bar timings and on how to regulate the liquor mafia and earn more money for the state exchequer.