Nahan: Illegal liquor worth Rs 60 L seized, 2 held
Pankaj Sharma
Nahan, July 28
Exposing an inter-state liquor smuggling racket, the Haryana Police seized a truck loaded with liquor. It was being smuggled from Himachal to Bhutan through the dry state of Bihar.
This incident has brought the working of a liquor manufacturing company in Paonta Sahib of Sirmaur district and the Excise and Taxation Department of Himachal Pradesh under the scanner.
The police probe revealed that on July 24, a truck loaded with 1,000 crates of liquor was dispatched from M/S Yamuna Beverages Pvt Ltd, located in Nariwala, Paonta Sahib, and was bound for Gelephu, Bhutan. On July 25, the Haryana Police received a tip-off about a truck bearing Uttar Pradesh registration number, transporting alcohol intended to enter Bihar. The police raided the truck and seized 970 boxes of liquor and two individuals from Bihar were taken into custody.
The seized liquor was concealed under sacks of limestone powder. A total of 970 boxes – including 9,600 quarter bottles in 200 boxes, 9,360 half bottles in 390 boxes, and 4,560 full bottles in 380 boxes – were recovered. The estimated value of the confiscated liquor is approximately Rs 60 lakh.
The truck owner, a resident of Uttar Pradesh, filed a missing report at the Puruwala police station in Paonta Sahib on July 26, claiming that he was unable to contact the driver.
Bihar has complete prohibition on the sale and consumption of alcohol. According to sources, the detained driver and his assistant confessed to the police that they were offered Rs 10,000 each to transport the truck to Bihar.
According to information received from the Haryana Police, the liquor was being smuggled from Himachal to Bihar, whereas according to Himachal Pradesh State Taxes and Excise staff and the liquor manufacturing company, it was to be supplied to Bhutan.
Sirmaur Superintendent of Police Raman Kumar Meena said probe was underway in the matter. He said the liquor manufacturing company should have lodged a complaint with the police immediately after the truck’s GPS stopped working.
