1,084 cases, 1,130 arrests for bootlegging in past 7 months

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, August 7

To tighten the noose around traders of illicit liquor, the Jalandhar Commissionerate police and the Jalandhar Rural police registered 1,084 cases and arrested 1,130 persons involved in the liquor smuggling, bootlegging and illicit distillation of liquor, besides seizing 3,59,510 kg of lahan, from January 1 to July 31.

The Commissioner of Police, Gurpreet Singh Bhullar, said 496 cases had been registered at various police stations and 557 persons arrested in the city. Bhullar said the Commissionerate police had also recovered 1,430 kg of lahan, 167 litres of illicit liquor and 15,094 litres of English wine. He said preventive action had also been taken against 68 smugglers in the city.

Jalandhar (Rural) SSP Satinder Singh said the Rural police registered 588 cases and nabbed 573 persons during the period. He said the police recovered 3,58,080 kg of lahan, 7,100 litres of illicit liquor and 26,994 litres of English wine.

The two police officials said joint teams of officials of the Police and Excise Departments would be formed at sub-division level for round-the-clock vigil on illicit liquor trade. They said strict action was being taken against those involved in the trade, including government officials, under relevant provisions of the Excise Act, the Disaster Management Act and Epidemic Diseases Act.