Panaji: An upmarket restaurant run by Union minister Smriti Irani’s daughter, Zoish, at Assagao in North Goa has received a show cause notice by Goa Excise Commissioner Narayan M Gad over the illegally obtained liquor licences.
The Excise Commissioner has fixed a hearing at 11 am on July 29 and has directed the excise licence holder and the complainant Adv Aires Rodrigues to be personally present.
Adv Rodrigues had filed a written complaint before the Excise Commissioner demanding a thorough inquiry into this fraud which was allegedly orchestrated by Smriti Irani’s family in conjunction with excise officials and the local Assagao Village Panchayat.
The complaint by Adv Rodrigues was after obtaining documents under the Right To Information Act (RTI) Act from the Excise Department on the issue.
The documents also reveal that the liquor licences were issued without there being a restaurant licence as required by law.
The Excise Department issued the licences in the name of one Anthony Dgama, who as per the Aadhaar Card submitted by him shows that he was a resident of Mumbai and that the Aadhaar was issued on December 30, 2020.
The RTI documents also reveal that last month on June 29 the local Excise office at Mapusa in clear contravention of law renewed those licences in the name of Anthony Dgama despite him having passed away last year on May 17, 2021 as per the death certificate issued by the Municipal Corporation of Mumbai which has also been obtained by Adv Rodrigues.
In the show cause notice, the Excise Commissioner has stated that the complainant Adv Rodrigues has alleged that licence was renewed last month despite the licence holder having passed away on May 17, 2021 and has demanded to immediately suspend the above said licence and also to order an inquiry into fraudulent acts.
The notice further stated that why the licence issued in the name of Anthony Dgama should not be cancelled for violating the provisions of The Goa Excise Duty Act and Rules 1964.
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