PANAJI: The Central Bureau of Investigation, probing multi-crore evasion of duty to the government by a Daman-based liquor company with the connivance of senior central government officials, has raided and sealed a distillery in the state, even as it has begun probing the role of a junior-level government  official of Goa in the alleged scam.

Sources in the state secretariat while confirming that a distillery in the state has been raided and sealed by the CBI refused to name it or its owners. They, however, said that role of some major liquor merchants and involvement of state excise officials was under the scanner of the CBI officials. The local CBI officials were not available for comment.
The sources further stated that the CBI officials were probing the role of a government official, who used to import liquor from Daman under pseudo name based on counterfeit permits and supply the stocks to various liquor distributors, shops in the state. They further said that following the revelation of the racket the official has been running around to remove the liquor from the shops he had supplied to.
The sources further said the CBI officials were likely to probe the role of government officials, including those of the excise department, individuals and companies in the alleged racket. They did not rule out more raids in the state.
The commissioner of excise, Mr Sandeep Jaques, however, denied knowledge of any raid saying that the CBI has not informed him about the same. He also said that there were no records to show that any permit was issued by his department to any one to import liquor from Daman during the last five years.