Probe reveals Army bought spirits through Excise Dept.

By Shamindra Ferdinando

An investigation by the Excise Department has revealed that the Anuradapura Sathosa outlet has violated a government ban by selling liquor to the Army––the Gajaba Regimental Centre, Saliyapura, Anuradhapura.

The Excise Department, the police and the CWE had found that the Army bought 89 bottles of locally produced spirits, a senior official who supervised the investigations told The Island.

A senior Excise official had personally accompanied Army personnel to the Sathosa supermarket, where the liquor sales took place, the Excise Department sources said.

Social media and a section of the print and electronic media alleged that about 800 bottles had been sold.

Army Commander Gen. Shavendra Silva, who is also the Chief of Defence Staff, the official told The Island that such reports had been published with a malicious intent.

Excise Department sources said that the Army had sought the intervention of the Excise official who subsequently removed the Excise seal placed on Sathosa outlet to facilitate the liquor sales. The official was transferred to a different station.

Had the official sought advice from Colombo, he would have been asked to decide the release of the required stock from a wholesale dealer, sources said. Responding to another query, Excise sources explained that countrywide military camps had been exempted from relevant Excise laws applicable to storing and sale of liquor.

Sources said that those who had loaded spirits to an army vehicle at Anuradhapura CWE asked for eight bottles of liquor and reacted angrily when the Excise official politely turned down their request.

Excise Commissioner Kapila Kumarasinghe, who functions as the Department’s official spokesperson in a statement issued on June 10, assured that an impartial inquiry would be conducted.

Sources said that the Anuradhapura incident had taken new turn against the backdrop of the Excise Department seeking Finance Ministry approval to launch liquor sales online. The President’s Office said that when the matter was brought to the notice of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, he immediately blocked the move.

Sources revealed that the possibility of launching an online service to sell liquor had been discussed at the National Security Council chaired by President Rajapaksa. IGP C. D. Wickremaratne has pointed out the increased production of illicit brew due to closure of liquor outlets. President Rajapaksa has expressed surprise at how the matter discussed at the NSC ended up as an Excise Department proposal to the Finance Ministry, sources said.

President Rajapaksa has questioned the need for online liquor sales when the country was to re-open on Monday (21) at 4 am.