Published Sep 01, 2026 | 12:48 PM ⚊ Updated Sep 01, 2026 | 12:48 PM
Keralam Excise Minister M Liju.
Synopsis: Keralam Excise Minister M Liju has warned that officials found engaging in illegal activities will face stringent action, regardless of rank, amid disciplinary proceedings against Kottayam Excise Deputy Commissioner S Ashok Kumar for allegedly collecting monthly payments from bar owners. The department is also set to scrutinise several cases investigated under his watch, including a hybrid ganja case and a cannabis case involving the son of MLA U Pratibha, following complaints of lapses in their handling.
Keralam Excise Minister M Liju has warned that officials in the Excise Department found engaging in illegal activities will face stringent action, irrespective of their rank or seniority.
The warning comes amid action against Kottayam Deputy Commissioner S Ashok Kumar for allegedly collecting monthly payments from bar owners.
Addressing a press conference, Liju said officials had been repeatedly warned against violating the law, but some continued to do so.
“There will be no leniency, however senior the officer may be,” the Minister said.
He said officials who performed well would be recognised, while those involved in corruption would face action. Liju said a corruption-free Excise Department was essential as Keralam faced a growing drug menace.
The government would not compromise on action against officials who undermined the department’s functioning, he said.
The department and the Excise Vigilance had acted whenever evidence of corruption emerged within the force, Liju said. Measures would be pursued to ensure that those found guilty were punished.
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The Excise Department has stepped up departmental proceedings against Ashok Kumar and others in the case.
On Friday, a team led by Excise Commissioner Seeram Sambasiva Rao searched Ashok Kumar’s residence and collected material as part of the proceedings. He was later summoned to Thiruvananthapuram, where his statement was recorded.
The action in Kottayam followed several complaints and was initiated on the basis of “credible evidence”. The disciplinary measures under consideration include dismissal from service, depending on the findings.
The department is also expected to re-examine several important cases investigated under Ashok Kumar’s watch.
These include a hybrid ganja case in which actors Shine Tom Chacko and Sreenath Bhasi were initially included in the investigation but were later excluded, and a case involving the arrest of the son of a former MLA in Alappuzha.
An earlier inquiry report prepared by Ashok Kumar had also upheld a complaint by U Pratibha, MLA, that her son, Kaniv, was made an accused in a cannabis case without following the prescribed procedures.
Allegations of lapses in the handling of some of these investigations have prompted the department to examine the case records again. A detailed scrutiny of the files has now been decided as part of the wider departmental review.
