Liquor collection in Shobha Karandlaje’s name

Interesting turn of events

By CT reporter
MANGALORE: The case of excise officials reportedly collecting huge quantity of liquor from various bars in Puttur and Sullia for the reception of BJP MLC Shobha Karandlaje’s sister’s wedding, has now taken a new twist.
It may be recalled here that two excise officials were suspended from service following high level probe soon after a complaint was lodged in connection with the unauthorized liquor collection, by the state BJP chief DV Sadananda Gowda and Shobha Karandlaje herself, following the involvement of her name.
Though it is said that the Puttur excise deputy inspector Yaqub Khan and Sulla excise inspector Krishna Naik were suspended, the department is still not divulging the actual cause of their suspension.
The rumor that was doing the rounds earlier was that the liquor was collected for the reception of Shobha’s sister’s wedding. However, no sooner there was such news, Shobha had contacted the newspaper office to say that the groom’s party had left soon after the wedding, so were the VIP and other dignitaries and the question of a reception did not arise. She also expressed her helplessness about the rumours regarding her.
Now, reports say even the name of a secretary of deputy chief minister BS Yadiyurappa is being linked in this case.
One Suresh who was earlier working in the BJP office is presently the secretary of deputy chief minister BS Yadiyurappa at Bangalore. The secretary’s wedding was held in Kodagu district on May 10 and the reception at the Todikana Sri Mallikarjuna Temple at Sullia the next day. The reception was attended by a good number of BJP leaders. The dinner was held on May 12 at Sullia’s Sheetal Restaurant and according to sources, the liquor was collected for this party itself which was attended by a large number of BJP leaders and local workers.
What sources reveal now is that Shobha was infuriated over the excise officials who had not evinced the same interest in collecting liquor for her sister’s reception. But she, instead got the two officials suspended no sooner her name was linked in this case. It is now being said that that two officials were suspended not because they misused their authority, but because they did not pay heed to her words.
Still, the excise department senior officials are not ready to divulge anything on this issue.