If caught drunk in Bihar, here's a way to escape jail sentence

Amid growing criticism over Bihar CM Nitish Kumar’s prohibition policy, the government is devising innovative ways to nab liquor smugglers and peddlers and make the prohibition  policy in the state effective.

In a media interaction on Monday (February 28), deputy commissioner, excise, Krishna Kumar, told reporters that if a drunk person shares vital information about where and from whom they had sourced the alcohol, then they would be let off scot free and can escape a jail sentence.

According to Krishna Kumar, if a person is caught drunk, he will be questioned about the place where he had bought the alcohol. “A raid would be conducted on the basis of the tip-off and if the information is found correct, the informant will not be jailed,” added Kumar.

Prohibition was imposed in Bihar in April 2016, after a section of women appealed to the CM Nitish Kumar to declare a complete ban on the sale and purchase of liquor. Since that time, the CM has been singlehandedly spearheading the campaign to bring about a much-required “social change” in the society.

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But the prohibition law, which contains a number of draconian provisions, has not been implemented properly and has been dubbed by the Rashtriya Janata Dal-led Opposition as an “utter failure”.

More than 50 lives have been lost in hooch tragedies since last November, said media reports. Moreover, the police were ending up arresting visitors from outside the state and conducting raids on wedding parties, all of which has caused a lot of heartburn.

Prohibition in Bihar is Nitish Kumar’s personal pet project and he has made it clear a couple of times that the rules regarding prohibition will not be eased. “Let there be no confusion among bootleggers that liquor ban is here is to stay and actions against them will be now be even more stringent,” warned the CM.

To make the policy more effective, he continues to conduct didactic public meetings and equips police personnel involved in the crackdown on violators with high-end resources like helicopters, drones, satellite phones, motorboats, and sniffer dogs. He is putting all his might behind this policy to ensure that prohibition succeeds at all costs in Bihar.