Liquor seized from Fazilka farmhouse

Our Correspondent

Fazilka, June 18

As many as 16 boxes of liquor meant for sale in Chandigarh were today seized from a farmhouse belonging to Rakesh Sehgal, personal assistant of former state minister Surjit Kumar Jyani.

Spread over 4 kanals, the farmhouse is situated at Ghallu village in the district. According to the FIR registered at Khui Khera police station, on a tip-off, a police team conducted a raid at the farmhouse and recovered illicit liquor.

Rakesh Sehgal, his brother-in-law Rohit Kumar and one unidentified person have been booked under the Excise Act.

The accused used to smuggle liquor from Chandigarh and sell it in Fazilka, SSP Harjeet Singh said.

When contacted, Jyani claimed that earlier Sehgal had been running a dairy from the farmhouse, but he had leased the land to someone two years ago. Sehgal had nothing to do with the liquor trade, Jyani said, adding that his name was being dragged in the case due to political reasons.

Sehgal claimed that he had no role in the sale of illicit liquor, as his farmhouse was being managed by Rakesh Kumar to whom he had leased out the property years ago.