Absolut Vodka lovers in Delhi are unlikely to get their hands on their favourite liquor bottle anytime soon, with the high court rejecting the plea of its maker — French giant Pernod Ricard — seeking permission to sell its products in the city on Friday.
Pernod Ricard's brands, including Absolut vodka and Chivas Regal, have been unavailable in Delhi since 2023 as the company remains embroiled in the 2021 liquor policy investigation.
The dispute centres on whether the firm, named as an accused in the case, can be allowed to continue operations in the city.
Pernod has been at loggerheads with authorities over tax-related accusations, according to a Reuters report, which said that investigators have concluded that the company withheld the age and composition of its Scotch whisky imports to hide their true value and pay lower tariffs.
The allegations sparked a legal fight after the French company was asked to pay $314 million (about ₹3,000 crore in current USD-INR rate) in back taxes, Reuters reported, citing documents.
Pernod counts India as its biggest market globally by volume and Delhi typically used to account for about five per cent of its countrywide sales before it became unable to sell its products.
