Excise Dept begins inquiry into ‘dodgy’ liquor licence held by restaurant run by Irani’s family

Team Herald

PANJIM: Excise Commissioner Narayan Gad on Friday began an inquiry into the allegedly illegal liquor licence held by Silly Souls Cafe restaurant & bar, allegedly run by Union Minister Smriti Irani’s daughter Zoish.

Gad, on the first day of the hearing, brought up two issues – he questioned if the excise licence was obtained by submitting false and inadequate documents, and by misrepresenting facts; and if there were procedural irregularities on the part of the excise officials.

The Commissioner’s observations came after hearing the complainant, advocate Aires Rodrigues, and advocate Benny Nazareth, who represents the family of the liquor licence holder, late Anthony DGama, for around 90 minutes, at the head office. 

Directing the licence holder to file their response to the two issues, the Commissioner adjourned the further hearing to August 22. While late Anthony DGama’s son Dean was present for the hearing, Rodrigues drew the attention of the Excise Commissioner to the fact that the name of the other existing son, Dale, has been conveniently suppressed.

“Though the excise rules in Goa allow a bar license to be issued only to an existing restaurant, the excise department on February 18, 2021, in rank violation of the law, issued a license for the retail sale of foreign liquor for consumption on the premises, along with another license for the retail sale of Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) and country liquor, to the outlet, without the required restaurant license being in place,” he said.

In a connected development,  Rodrigues pointed out to the Director of Panchayats that the construction of the restaurant was also illegal. The Mapusa Block Development Officer has been directed to investigate the matter.

He has also filed a complaint with the Chief Town Planner, Rajesh Naik, seeking the immediate intervention of the Town & Country Planning department (TCP)  into the illegal change of land use and filling of a low-lying tenanted field, in contravention of the law, to erect the now controversial restaurant allegedly being run by Smriti Irani’s family.