Alleged irregularities have surfaced in Gujarat’s health permit system, through which individuals obtain permission to consume foreign liquor on medical grounds despite the state’s prohibition laws. A sting operation has exposed claims by agents that liquor permits can be secured without mandatory medical checks for a payment of ₹55,000. While the official government fee is ₹31,000, the remaining ₹24,000 is reportedly collected as an unauthorized markup, raising serious concerns regarding administrative oversight and systemic corruption.
Financial Breakdown and Bypass of Medical Protocol
According to disclosures made during the operation, the legitimate statutory cost consists of ₹25,000 allocated to the Patient Welfare Committee and ₹6,000 directed to the Prohibition Department. The additional ₹24,000 charged by intermediaries is allegedly distributed among key touchpoints: ₹15,000 for the superintendent’s office, ₹5,000 for the civil hospital, and ₹4,000 retained as the agent’s personal commission. The agents claimed they could manage the entire paperwork pipeline through internal administrative contacts, assuring clients that personal visits to government offices and standard medical check-ups could be bypassed entirely. These claims of widespread graft and procedural violations, however, remain subject to independent verification.
Forged Signatures Discovered on Renewal Files
Scrutiny has extended to permit renewals, with records and applicant testimonies revealing that signatures of agents or third parties were present on more than 35 renewal forms instead of the applicants’ own signatures. While certain applicants acknowledged allowing accountants, office staff, or middlemen to sign on their behalf, others attributed signature discrepancies to medical issues such as trembling hands, accident-related injuries, administrative errors, or the burden of signing high volumes of paperwork. Despite these explanations, document verification confirmed that agents had directly signed forms on behalf of applicants, including instances where files submitted under the names of retired Class I government employees bore suspected forged signatures.
Inaction and Pending Legal Recourse
The approvals granted during the 2023 renewal process have triggered sharp questions over official due diligence. Mitul Patel, Deputy Director of the Prohibition Department, stated that a formal report was sought from the concerned office in 2023, followed by three consecutive reminders. Patel confirmed that no subsequent records were submitted and no administrative action was taken, noting that forged signatures on government documentation should have promptly led to police complaints and criminal proceedings. Sagar Mangroliya, Superintendent of Prohibition in Ahmedabad, maintained that he had not received any reminder letters regarding the inquiry. Mangroliya confirmed that the permits in question were renewed, while promising that the pending report would be finalized within a week and acknowledging that proven cases of forgery require criminal prosecution.
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