Bhopal/Dewas: The Madhya Pradesh government, on Saturday, suspended the State Assistant Excise Commissioner In-charge Mandakini Dikshit after a video of liquor contractor Dinesh Makwana, who died by suicide, surfaced on the social media.
The action was taken by the state government a day after the video went viral.
Makwana claimed that he was under severe financial distress and Dikshit of extorting money and obstructing liquor supply from the warehouse.
Dinesh Makwana, a resident of Indore, who was operating five liquor shops in Dewas district, had died by consuming some poisonous substances on November 8.
The purported video in which Makwana levelled grave allegations on Dikshit came to the fore on December 5, nearly a month after his death.
A notification regarding suspension order issued by the Madhya Pradesh’s Department of Commerce and Tax on Saturday, said, “Through several media reports and social media platforms, it came to know that Dinesh Makwana had recorded a video before ending his life by suicide.”
The order also said, “In the video, Makwana had mentioned about extortion and harassment. These allegations are against the Madhya Pradesh Civil Services and therefore, Assistant Excise Commissioner Mandakini Dikshit is being suspended with immediate effort.”
The suspension order issued by Additional Secretary of the Madhya Pradesh’s Department of Commerce and Tax, Vandana Sharma said that Dikshit has been posted to Excise Commissioner Officer in Gwalior.
Makwana had claimed that he had paid Rs 20 lakh to the Excise officer (Mandakini Dikshit) and said that the monthly demands of Rs 1.5 lakh had pushed him into losses.
IANS had reported the development with a statement released by the Dewas District Collector Rituraj Singh on this matter on Friday.
Dewas Collector Rituraj Singh confirmed cognisance of the video and said the matter is under investigation.
“A case has already been registered at the Indore police station. Once the probe concludes and facts emerge, appropriate action will be taken,” he had told IANS on Friday.
(IANS)
