Anbumani Ramadoss slams DMK over 20,000 illegal liquor outlets in Tamil Nadu
Synopsis
More than 20,000 illegal liquor outlets are allegedly operating in Tamil Nadu — four times the number of legal TASMAC shops — according to PMK leader Anbumani Ramadoss, who claims the DMK government's inaction is costing the state over ₹50,000 crore annually in lost excise revenue. A group of women in Dharmapuri's Podur village took matters into their own hands, ransacking four such outlets.
Key Takeaways
PMK leader Anbumani Ramadoss on 28 April 2025 accused the DMK government of allowing over 20,000 illegal liquor outlets to operate across Tamil Nadu.
The state has only 4,787 legal TASMAC shops , making the alleged illegal network nearly four times larger.
Illicit liquor trade is reportedly causing revenue losses of over ₹50,000 crore annually due to excise duty evasion.
Women in Podur village, Dharmapuri district , allegedly ransacked four illegal outlets after years of unheeded protests.
Ramadoss urged authorities not to prosecute the women and instead intensify crackdowns on illegal liquor operations.
Venkateshwaran had earlier raised the issue in the Tamil Nadu Assembly without result, according to PMK.
Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) leader Anbumani Ramadoss on Tuesday, 28 April launched a sharp attack on the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) government led by Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, alleging that administrative inaction has allowed more than 20,000 illegal liquor outlets to operate across Tamil Nadu — nearly four times the number of legal TASMAC shops in the state. Ramadoss made the remarks in the context of a recent incident in Podur village near Bennenagaram in Dharmapuri district, where a group of women allegedly ransacked four illicit liquor outlets.
The Podur Incident
According to Ramadoss, the four illegal outlets in Podur had not sprung up overnight — they had reportedly been functioning for several years despite repeated protests by local residents demanding their closure. The main accused in the illicit trade, identified as Govindan, reportedly escaped during the incident. While Ramadoss acknowledged that taking the law into one's own hands is not an acceptable solution, he described the women's action as a direct consequence of administrative failure by the state government.
Scale of the Problem
Ramadoss claimed that while 4,787 TASMAC shops function legally across Tamil Nadu, more than 20,000 illegal liquor outlets are operating in parallel — many of them round the clock across Dharmapuri district and beyond. He alleged that this unchecked proliferation has not only devastated poor and middle-class families but has also resulted in massive revenue losses and corruption, estimated at over ₹50,000 crore annually due to evasion of excise duties and taxes.
Political and Legislative Failures, Ramadoss Alleges
The PMK leader pointed out that his party had organised multiple protests seeking the removal of such outlets, and that Dharmapuri MLA S.P. Venkateshwaran had raised the issue on the floor of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly. Despite these efforts, Ramadoss alleged that the state government not only failed to act but also indulged in what he called
Point of View
000 figure — if it holds up to scrutiny — is a damning indictment of enforcement, not just policy. Tamil Nadu's TASMAC model was designed to channel liquor revenue to the state while curbing illicit trade; if illegal outlets now outnumber legal ones four-to-one, the model has plainly failed on its second objective. Ramadoss's call to spare the Podur women from prosecution is politically astute, but it sidesteps a harder question: why have years of assembly debates and PMK protests produced no administrative response? The ₹50,000 crore revenue loss claim deserves independent verification — but even a fraction of that figure would represent a serious governance failure that neither the DMK nor previous administrations have adequately addressed.
NationPress
4 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Anbumani Ramadoss allege about illegal liquor in Tamil Nadu?
PMK leader Anbumani Ramadoss alleged that over 20,000 illegal liquor outlets are operating across Tamil Nadu, compared to just 4,787 legal TASMAC shops, due to the DMK government's inaction. He also claimed the illicit trade causes revenue losses exceeding ₹50,000 crore annually.
What happened in Podur village in Dharmapuri district?
A group of women in Podur village near Bennenagaram in Dharmapuri district allegedly ransacked four illegal liquor outlets that had been operating for several years despite local protests. The main accused, identified as Govindan, reportedly escaped during the incident.
Why did Ramadoss defend the women who ransacked the liquor outlets?
Ramadoss argued that while taking the law into one's own hands is not acceptable, the women's action was a direct result of administrative failure by the DMK government, which ignored repeated protests and assembly debates. He urged authorities not to prosecute them.
What is TASMAC and how does it relate to this issue?
TASMAC (Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation) is the state-run body that operates legal liquor retail outlets in Tamil Nadu. Ramadoss claims that while 4,787 TASMAC shops operate legally, more than 20,000 illegal outlets run alongside them, undermining both revenue collection and public health.
What action has the PMK taken on the illegal liquor issue?
The PMK has organised multiple protests demanding closure of illegal liquor outlets, and Dharmapuri MLA S.P. Venkateshwaran raised the issue in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly. Ramadoss alleges the state government failed to act and instead engaged in political manoeuvring.
