Liquor shop owner arrested after openly distributing alcohol in Chandigarhs Sector 9 market
According to the police complaint, liquor was being openly served outside a liquor vend to promote a new alcohol brand.
PTC News Desk: The Chandigarh Police have arrested a liquor vender after a video showing open distribution of alcohol in Sector 9 market went viral on social media.
The area is considered one of the city’s posh localities and is frequently visited by prominent residents.
An FIR was registered against arrested owner Rajesh Sachdeva. According to the police complaint, liquor was being openly served outside a liquor vend to promote a new alcohol brand.
The matter came to the fore a video of the incident went viral on social media. The footage showed a stall set up outside the liquor shop where people were being offered free ice gola (slush ice treats) mixed with vodka. Reports suggest that the video was originally uploaded on Instagram by the liquor contractor himself, but was later deleted after the controversy escalated. By then, however, the clip had already spread widely online.
A notice has also been issued to the licence holder of the Sector-9 liquor vendor seeking clarification.
What has raised further questions is that the event reportedly continued for several hours near key government offices without any immediate intervention. The location is barely 300 metres away from the Chandigarh Police Headquarters, the office of Chandigarh Administrator Gulab Chand Kataria, as well as the offices of the DGP and SSP. Despite the video being uploaded online, prompt action was allegedly not taken until the issue gained media attention and public criticism intensified.