Gujarat cops take liquor theft kingpin on transit remand

Tribune News Service

Panipat, June 13

In another development in the liquor theft case, the Gujarat Police have taken liquor smuggling kingpin Bhupender Singh to their state on transit remand after his network’s Gujarat connection come to the fore during investigation.

The police said Bhupender, his brother Jitender, Satish and former SHO Jasbeer Singh (who has been dismissed from service) allegedly smuggled illicit liquor to states, especially those where prohibition is in force.

The Junagarh police (Gujarat) had approached the Sonepat court for Bhupender’s transit remand. The court on Friday granted the permission, following which the police took him away the same day.

During his police remand here, Bhupender had revealed that Jitender and Satish smuggled liquor to other states, while he was responsible for stealing illicit liquor from distilleries. The investigation also brought out that Dhiernder Karya of Junagarh was the main supplier who managed the business there.

Sonepat SP Jashandeep Singh Randhawa said the Gujarat Police had already arrested Karya and one of his accomplices from Sonepat’s Jharoth village.

The liquor theft from a sealed godown in Kharkhoda came to light after the SP directed the inspection of the warehouse. About 5,700 boxes of liquor were found stolen.

A Special Investigation Team (SIT) found that that some police officials were hand in glove with Bhupender. Police officers, including two Inspectors, have been booked in the case.