Panaji, July 12 – The Bombay High Court at Goa has ruled against the Goa Excise Department for seizing a consignment of foreign liquor that had already cleared customs in Gurugram. The court stated that the Goa Excise Duty Act does not apply in this case, and ordered that the seized liquor be returned to the company.
The liquor, transported by Discovery Beverages Pvt Ltd (Gurugram) for delivery to Vallina Ventures Pvt Ltd in Goa, was stopped at the Patradevi check post on April 30. Officials claimed it was being transported illegally without valid documents and detained both the vehicle and the driver.
However, the court found that the liquor had already been cleared by the Customs Department in Gurugram and had the required documents, including a one-time seal and a regulation form attached. Despite this, the excise department opened the sealed vehicle, seized the goods, and filed a police case.
The court called the department’s actions unjustified and malicious, and dismissed the show-cause notice issued to Vallina Ventures that questioned their license and threatened penalties.
