Manas R Banerjee, June 9 -- Corroborating The Statesman's news report of a possible liquor scam in the state, former West Bengal Excise Commissioner Randhir Kumar - during whose stint the West Bengal State Beverages Corporation Limited (WBSBCL) was set up in 2017 - has suggested that things were going fine till certain changes were introduced in 2021.
The WBSBCL was established during the tenure of the then finance minister Amit Mitra with the stated objective of streamlining the liquor supply chain, plugging revenue leakages and curbing the circulation of illicit liquor following a series of hooch tragedies in the state.
"Yes, WBSBCL was established during my tenure and under my leadership so that the government could exercise control ov...