Liquor shop license bait on fake portal; State Excise Department issues warning
A fake website has been created in the name of State Government Excise Department. It is claimed that new licenses will be issued for liquor shops from that website, though not from the government at all. Excise department claims that several such websites are active. The Excise Department has also started a campaign so that no trader steps into that trap.Now most of the work of state excise department is done through government portal. New license issuance and other announcements are made through the government portal (https://excise.wb.gov.in/). By visiting this portal, the fair price of various types of liquor as determined by the state government is also known. Vendors have to use this portal to buy liquor as wholesale. If any buyer wants to buy retail liquor through ‘E-excise’, the detailed information can be found on this portal. Now when you open that portal, you see a warning from the Excise department. It has been claimed that the department has received reports of various fake websites that look like government portals. It has also warned of potential confusion issues as they look like government portals. At the same time referring to a portal (https://exciselicensegov.com/) it is said that it has nothing to do with the government. The portal, which the excise department says is fake, is asking to apply for a license for a new liquor shop. Name- ‘Department of Excise’. It is also mentioned that only those who have no previous license can apply. Although it says to apply online, there is a mention of a phone number.The portal, which has been referred to as the Excise Department as ‘fake’, claims that it is under the Union Finance Ministry. However, no specific information is given regarding that. The portal also mentions how much to pay and what documents are required to get a license for a new liquor shop in a village or town. There is also mention of licensing for setting up a brewery or bottling plant, including a bar, from a retail shop.
