Sonbhadra. The joint team of Sonbhadra Police and Excise Department has succeeded in exposing the interstate gang of liquor smuggling. Along with recovery of liquor worth Rs 80 lakh, two have been arrested. The recovered liquor was being taken from Chandigarh in Punjab to Ranchi in Jharkhand. Investigation has revealed that liquor was being transported in the name of a fake firm of Arunachal Pradesh. The recovered liquor was being loaded in a container truck. A total of 1080 boxes containing 18720 bottles (9720 liters of Imperial Blue brand liquor) were found filled with liquor. Police claim that it was being taken to spend in the Lok Sabha elections. After busting the gang, further investigation is going on by the joint team of SOG, Surveillance, Robertsganj Police and Excise Department. Superintendent of Police Dr. Yashveer Singh revealed this success in the police line on Sunday afternoon. Told that in view of the Lok Sabha elections, instructions were given to keep a close watch on liquor smuggling. In this sequence, a container truck parked between Lodhi Toll Plaza and Circuit House was checked on Saturday night. It was found that 1080 boxes loaded in a truck bearing Haryana number contained 9720 liters of illicit liquor in 18720 bottles. The market price of Imperial Blue brand liquor is around Rs 80 lakh.
Found on the spot, Jitendra son of Surendra Singh, resident of Landi, police station Shahbad (Markanda), district Kurukshetra, Haryana and Sanjeev Kumar son of Meghraj, resident of Mukhor, police station Jigadari, district Jamunanagar, Haryana were arrested. During interrogation, the accused told that the seized liquor was being taken from Chandigarh to Ranchi. Vehicle owner Rakesh Pal had got the liquor loaded from New Chandigarh. According to the SP, the accused have admitted to smuggling liquor several times in the past also. When the documents recovered from the smugglers were investigated, it was found that the seized liquor consignment was being transported in the name of a firm based in Arunachal Pradesh. When we inquired about the firm from Arunachal Pradesh, it was found that no such firm was operating there. After this, the liquor along with the vehicle was taken into possession and brought to Robertsganj police station. The accused were challaned after interrogation. SP said that the matter is being investigated by registering a case under Section 60/63 Excise Act and Section 420, 467, 468, 471 IPC. In this case, investigation is being done about those who loaded liquor from Chandigarh and those who took delivery of liquor in Ranchi. Strict action will be taken against those who are found involved in this matter. In the arrest/seizure, Inspector in-charge Robertsganj Satyendra Rai, Inspector Ram Swaroop Verma in-charge SOG/SWOT, Inspector Excise Ravinandan, Amit Kumar, SI Amit Tripathi in-charge Surveillance Cell, Head Constable Shashi Pratap Singh, Prakash Singh, Saurabh Rai, Driver Nandlal Ram, Ajay. Maurya, Constable Ajit, Premprakash Chaurasia, Amit Singh, Ramesh Gond played prominent roles.
