Exposed: DMK அரசின் அலட்சியம், உரிமங்களை புதுப்பிக்காமல் Five star Bar நடத்த அனுமதியா?

In an unusual move, just two days after the Tamil Nadu government’s Commissionerate of Prohibition and Excise temporarily suspended liquor licenses granted to five top star hotels in the city, the department has revoked its own order. On August 3, 2024, the Commissionerate temporarily canceled the F.L.3 licenses granted to star hotels for the possession of liquor. Five prominent hotels—Taj Club House, Somerset, Radisson Blu, Hyatt Regency, and The Park, all of which house popular bars in Chennai—came under scrutiny for allegedly violating norms. The rapid suspension and revocation of these liquor licenses within 48 hours have raised eyebrows within the bureaucracy. A follow-up investigation by The News Minute revealed that many elite bars in Tamil Nadu may be operating in a legal grey area, as the Prohibition and Excise Department failed to renew their licenses despite the payment of the required annual fee. Even as the liquor licenses for these bars are pending renewal, they continue to operate at full capacity, raising questions about their legality and public safety. The move to temporarily suspend F.L.3 licenses of elite bars in Tamil Nadu has exposed the shortcomings of the state’s Excise Department. In this week’s Yen Endra Kelvi, Shabbir Ahmed delves into the lackadaisical attitude of the Excise Department and how the liquor industry in Tamil Nadu is being allowed to operate with little to no checks and balances.