Mancherial Excise officials face allegations of collecting Dussehra mamool
Wine shop and bar owners in Mancherial allege Excise officials collected Rs 16,000 each as Dussehra mamool without receipts. Officials deny the allegations and call them baseless, while promising disciplinary action if staff are found guilty. Users demand greater transparency
Mancherial: Prohibition and Excise officials have come under criticism over allegations that they collected Rs 16,000 each from wine shops and bars in Mancherial district in the name of the Dussehra festival.
The district has 73 authorised wine shops and 15 bars. Some owners of these establishments alleged that Excise officials collected Rs 16,000 from each outlet under the guise of festival-related payments. They claimed that no receipts were issued for the cash and expressed displeasure over the alleged collection.
The owners said the additional payment had placed a financial burden on their businesses, which were already facing losses due to a dip in sales. They claimed they had no option but to pay the festival ‘mamool’ (customary payment). They urged senior officials to investigate the alleged unauthorised collection.
Meanwhile, a message criticising the alleged collection of Rs 16,000 from every wine shop and bar went viral on social media. Users called on higher authorities to ensure transparency regarding the money and questioned why the amount was being collected during the festival.
Excise officials denied collecting the amount from wine shops and bars, describing the allegations of additional collections as baseless. They advised outlet owners not to trust anyone who demanded money in the name of festivals without verification. They said departmental disciplinary action would be initiated against staff members if they were found guilty.
