Panaji, July 29 (PTI) The Goa Excise Department is investigating the June 17 truck fire incident, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant told the assembly on Tuesday after AAP MLAs claimed that the vehicle was used for smuggling liquor.
The truck with a Nagaland registration number caught fire on the national highway at Dhargal village near the Goa-Maharashtra border. Police had said the vehicle was smuggling liquor outside Goa.
The issue was raised in the House by AAP MLAs Venzy Viegas and Cruz Silva on Tuesday.
Viegas claimed the truck was abandoned by its driver. He questioned why no action was taken against the excise inspector attached to the distillery from where liquor was smuggled.
Silva said the truck was used for smuggling liquor outside Goa under a racket.
Responding to the allegations, Sawant said the Excise Department is conducting an inquiry based on a report received from the local police.
“If the probe identifies the liquor was linked to any particular distillery linked to smuggling, the concerned officer (of Excise) will be suspended and the (distillery) premises will be sealed,” the chief minister said.
He said the Goa Police are trying to get details of the truck driver from their counterparts in Nagaland.
Sawant also suggested that the truck didn’t enter Goa from outside the state. PTI RPS NSK
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