News Tamil Nadu

Foreign YouTuber Inadvertently Exposes Corruption In TASMAC Run By Dravidian Model DMK Govt

April 22, 2025
The Commune

A recent viral video featuring a foreign tourist at a TASMAC liquor outlet in Chennai has reignited public scrutiny over pricing irregularities and operational transparency under the supervision of the Prohibition and Excise Department headed by Senthil Balaji. The video, which captures a tourist being charged ₹180 for a beer with an MRP of ₹140, has stirred debate over long-standing complaints of overcharging at Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (TASMAC) retail outlets.

In the video, the tourist, accompanied by a long-time Singaporean resident of India, inquires about the MRP of beer and is casually told by the staff that prices are ₹20–₹40 above the legal maximum. The casual admission of the markup, captured on camera, corroborates with the allegations against Electricity, Prohibition and Excise Minister Senthil Balaji.

When inquiring about beer, the Singaporean who spoke Tamil, was quoted ₹180 per bottle despite confirming the MRP should be lesser around ₹140. The transaction was completed without explanation for the 12.5% markup. Similarly, a bottle of whiskey was sold for ₹1,300.

When questioned why the price was not MRP, the employee says that since the bar is attached to the outlet, he cannot sell it for MRP (weird logic).

TASMAC is the state government monopoly for liquor sales in Tamil Nadu, operated under the DMK (Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam) government’s “Dravidian Model” of governance. Most often, if not at all times, notably absent from the establishment are displayed price lists, a requirement under consumer protection guidelines. The staff’s casual acknowledgment of the inflated pricing suggests this may represent standard practice at the location. “It’s a bit dodgy here,” Lim remarked in the video after completing his purchase, highlighting the lack of transparency.

TASMAC Controversies

In March 2025, TASMAC in Tamil Nadu came under intense scrutiny after multiple videos exposed rampant overcharging at the liquor outlets. Despite ongoing ED investigations into a ₹1,000 crore financial scam involving inflated procurement costs and collusion with bottle manufacturers, salesmen continue to demand ₹10–₹40 over the MRP from customers. In one viral incident from Cuddalore, a TASMAC staffer threatened a customer who asked for a bill, boldly claiming that officials from the Collector to the Minister were aware of the illegal collection. Similar cases have surfaced elsewhere, with officials admitting there’s no billing system in place. BJP leaders have raised sharp questions about where the excess money—running into crores annually—is going, suggesting a deep-rooted political and bureaucratic nexus.

Additionally, in 2024, the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India’s 2021–2022 report on TASMAC highlighted serious operational lapses. Despite efforts to enable cashless payments, over 2,200 of the 5,359 PoS machines at retail outlets were non-functional, encouraging cash transactions and facilitating overcharging—177 of 238 complaints were related to this issue. The report criticizes TASMAC’s outdated procurement and vending policy and delays in implementing an end-to-end computerized Goods Monitoring System. It also flags irregularities in the tender process for liquor transport, pointing to potential cartelization, repeated winners, and vehicles with expired documents. A key bidder lacked a valid GSTIN. Additionally, TASMAC failed to pay ₹30.5 crore in differential excise duty, even though MRPs were revised. The CAG urged swift corrective action on PoS functionality, tender transparency, and excise compliance.

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