ED Raids Punjab Liquor Company Over Environmental Violations

The Enforcement Directorate raided Malbros International, a Punjab-based liquor company, for alleged soil and groundwater contamination in Ferozepur. The raids spanned seven premises across Punjab, Delhi, and Madhya Pradesh. The company faces accusations of violating environmental norms and discharging industrial effluents unlawfully.

The Enforcement Directorate on Tuesday conducted searches against a Punjab-based liquor company as part of its money laundering probe linked to a case of alleged contamination of soil and groundwater in Ferozepur district, official sources said.

Seven premises of the liquor company in Punjab, Delhi and Madhya Pradesh were raided by the federal probe agency. The company -- Malbros International Pvt. Ltd. -- is ''owned and controlled'' by liquor businessmen Deep Malhotra and Gautam Malhotra, and their family. The business entity is part of the Oasis Group of companies, the sources said.

It is alleged that a factory of the liquor company contaminated soil and groundwater in and around its facility in Zira Tehsil of Ferozepur district by dumping industrial effluents and discharging them into the ground through borewells.

According to the ED, this caused ground and water pollution up to 4 km periphery of the manufacturing unit.

This issue was also raised in Parliament, following which the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) along with the Central Ground Water Board visited the factory in Zira.

According to sources, the inspection report mentioned the ''violation'' of environmental norms by the factory on multiple grounds.

The Punjab Pollution Control Board later lodged a criminal complaint against the company for violating various provisions of the Water Prevention and Control of Pollution Act of 1974, they said.

Locals and farmers of the affected villages had also protested against the factory, the sources added.

(With inputs from agencies.)