Excise officials on their toes to curb the dubious practice
Nagpur: In a damning revelation, it has come to the fore that the online food delivery boys, who often create ruckus on roads by violating traffic norms, have sparked another controversy in city as they have been found porting few unsolicited goodies to their customers to earn extra money.
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Friday 28 March 2025
The shocking revelation comes following a series of loopholes bothering majority of app based food delivery companies like Zomato and Swiggy. These online food delivery apps which aim to serve food at your door steps can pitch in bottle of liquor or pack of cigarettes if you’re willing to pay delivery boys extra bucks.
It is not yet clear whether the companies do have any knowledge about these activities.
It is found that in the process of delivery, the delivery boys give customers a call after receiving their food parcel from a local restaurant. However, lured with a promise of extra money if you express your demand for liquor or cigarettes, the chances are bright that the delivery boys may serve those things along with your food order.
Despite being tight schedule that involves continuous commute across various areas in the city for hours, the food delivery boys are deprived of a fixed salary and other benefits like PF which has resulted in the blooming of such affairs, informed a source from Swiggy to Nagpur Today.
“Our income is basically a commission we receive on our delivered orders. The more we deliver orders, the more we earn as commission. However, with increase in petrol prices and pressure to meet both ends or run families, some of us are forced to accept such demands, as it promises quick returns,” the Swiggy source said.
When Nagpur Today took the matter to Pramod Sonone, Superintendent, Excise Department, he said, “The department is aware of these flourishing irregularities. We have even cracked couple of cases and slapped fines on some offending boys. Smuggling of liquor sans valid permit is punishable offence.”
– Shubham Nagdeve
