Patna : The Bihar government on Sunday replaced Principal Secretary, Excise and Prohibition K.K. Pathak, who had proceeded on leave allegedly in protest against the arrest of a junior officer of his department, and sought to be relieved, by Home Commissioner Amir Subhani.
Subhani has been given additional charge of the excise department.
Pathak, known for his non-comprimising work style as per rule of law, last week proceeded on leave after the arrest of an excise sub-inspector who had earlier conducted raids at the house of a ruling JD-U leader and arrested him with liquor in Nalanda, the home district of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.
According to officials in chief minister office here, Pathak was posted as Principal Secretary, Excise on November 24, 2015, just two days before Nitish Kumar formally announced a liquor ban in the state from April 1, 2016, and has been instrumental in framing the prohibition law and its strict enforcement across the state.