Mysuru: S. Guruswamy, President of Federation of Wine Merchants Association, Karnataka, has alleged large scale irregularities of several hundreds crores of rupees in Excise Department, pinning the blame on Excise Minister R.B. Thimmapur as the progenitor of corruption.

Speaking to a vernacular news channel, Guruswamy said, the irregularities is not merely valued between Rs. 18 crore and Rs. 20 crore, but  even more, with the Excise officials themselves taking the name of the Excise Minister for having paid the bribe for the posting.

The rates (of bribe) has been fixed to grease the palm of the Minister, Commissioner, Superintendent, Squad and staff. The impact is felt by the license holder, who is facing the trouble. But hasn’t it not come to the notice of CM Siddaramaiah? If true, we will be called as insane, said Guruswamy.

The Excise Minister has stalled the transfer of some officials, with Personal Assistant (PA), Personal Secretary (PS) of the Minister also involved in the scam. Fed up by the mammoth corruption, Ajith (RTI activist) eventually complained to the Governor.

If any license holder raises the voice, he will have to face trouble, with the officials posing queries about the license and also the liquor stock.

The Wine Merchants Association will also be complaining to the Governor and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the coming days, said Guruswamy.