Brewery row: Tax records confirm private firm acquired 24 acres through intermediary

Palakkad: The land acquired for a constructing brewery in Elappully has been registered under the name of the liquor company, Oasis Commercial Private Limited. The documents related to the land registration for the fiscal year 2024-25 have come to light, revealing that the company registered the land in August. The 24-acre property is registered under the company's address in Haryana’s Ambala.

A. Gopikrishnan, hailing from Ottappalam, acted as the intermediary on behalf of the company to acquire the land. He was appointed as the company's official representative. Following this, the company reportedly paid around ₹8,000 as tax. Of the 24 acres, approximately five acres are used for paddy cultivation.

Previously, there were allegations that the liquor company had purchased land in Elappully without revealing its name or purpose. Earlier, K. Appukuttan, a Panchayat member and Congress leader revealed that Gopikrishnan, the company representative, had stated that the company would disclose its name only after receiving approval from the government. 

The land acquisition was facilitated through intermediaries who contacted Appukuttan and his friends. Appukuttan clarified that the intermediates sought their help claiming that the land would be used for agricultural purposes. Of the 24 acres, five acres were purchased from five farmers through intermediaries.