Thursday, March 28, 2019

‘Why shouldn’t govt be liable for crimes related to alcohol?’

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:28.03.2019

The Madras high court on Wednesday wondered why the Tamil Nadu government, which earns a major part of its revenue by selling liquor to its citizens, should not be made accountable as an abettor for crimes committed under the influence of alcohol.

“In every offence committed under the influence of alcohol, this court is of the considered view that the government should be made liable through its ministry of prohibition and excise, as an abettor of the crime,” Justice N Anand Venkatesh said.

The government certainly cannot wash its hand off the adverse effects of this policy of selling liquor to its own people. The government must be made responsible at some point of time for the increasing criminal offences committed under the influence of alcohol, the court said.

“ If the concerned department of the government is made an accused for having instigated/stimulated a person to commit a crime, ultimately at the time of imposing punishment, the court can order for sufficient compensation to the victim,” Justice Venkatesh added.

Noting that the court saw an increase in crimes due to the influence of alcohol, the judge said, “Alcohol plays a larger role in criminal activities and violence. Excessive drinking has the ability to lower inhibitions, impair a person’s judgement and increase the risk of aggressive behaviour. Because of this, alcohol-related violence and crime rates are on the raise in this state.”

“Researches have proved beyond question that prolonged drinking or binge drinking significantly increase the risk of committing violent offences. This court is taking judicial notice of the increasing accidents due to drunken driving, sexual assaults committed under the influence of alcohol, child abuse committed due to the influence of alcohol and in some cases, where the father under the influence of alcohol misbehaves with his own daughter, murders that regularly take place due to drunken brawl,” the court said.

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