Ahmedabad, Oct 5 (IANS): Gujarat Police’s State Monitoring Cell (SMC) seized Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) valued at more than Rs two crore in four raids conducted in Valsad, Ahmedabad Rural, Bharuch and Jamnagar districts, with 36,330 bottles and several vehicles and mobile phones among the seized items.
The largest seizure was made on Sunday in Bharuch district, where the State Monitoring Cell seized around 958 boxes containing 23,460 bottles of IMFL and beer valued at Rs 1,43,84,200.
The raid was conducted by Police Sub-Inspector J.S. Rajput on the Mumbai-Delhi Expressway near the outskirts of Khalpiya village under Ankleshwar Rural police station limits.
Police also seized a vehicle and two mobile phones, taking the total value of the seized property to Rs 1,74,09,200. One person, Anwarsha Mohammad Hanif Belgavkar, a resident of Hubli in Karnataka, was arrested.
Five others are wanted, including a person identified as Sheth, who allegedly sent the liquor consignment from Haryana, Sikandar Sheikh of Hubli, and three others, including the person who allegedly ordered the consignment and the truck owner.
In Jamnagar, the State Monitoring Cell seized around 246 boxes containing 10,409 bottles of IMFL and beer valued at Rs 37,21,848.
The raid was carried out by Police Inspector R.K. Karmata on an open public road in the GIDC area of Naghedi village in connection with the alleged cutting and distribution of liquor.
Five vehicles, four mobile phones, cash and other items were also seized, taking the total value of the seized property to Rs 1,37,58,491.
Two persons — Dipak alias Atapatu Jethwani of Jamnagar and Yuvrajsinh Chudasama of Naghedi — were arrested, while nine others were declared wanted.
Police said around 22 liquor transportation cases have been registered against Jethwani across Jamnagar, Kutch, Morbi and Rajkot Rural districts.
Three liquor-related cases have been registered against Chudasama in Jamnagar and Rajkot City, and police said he is wanted in a case registered at the DCB Police Station in Rajkot City.
Among the wanted accused in the Jamnagar case are Ram alias Ramko Modhwadia, Kana Modhwadia, Irfan Kasam Kateliya, Jignesh alias Jigo Vinod Khichda, Aspak of Nuh in Haryana and Rahul Razaq of Bharatpur in Rajasthan.
Police said around 49 cases have been registered against Ram alias Ramko in Jamnagar, Devbhumi Dwarka, Patan and Surendranagar districts, while five cases are registered against Kana in Jamnagar and Devbhumi Dwarka, eight against Irfan in Jamnagar and Devbhumi Dwarka, and around 15 against Jignesh in Jamnagar.
Three other wanted persons include the owners of vehicles found at the spot. In Ahmedabad Rural, the cell seized around 35 boxes containing 410 bottles of IMFL and beer valued at Rs 13,36,064 during a raid at Chitrakut Society, within the limits of Kolat village in Sanand taluka.
Police Inspector Y.J. Rathod led the operation. One vehicle and two mobile phones were also seized, taking the total value of the property to Rs 14,26,064. Kunj Patel of Bodakdev in Ahmedabad, was arrested.
Five others are wanted, including Arvindbhai Chhaganbhai Patel of Bodakdev and a person who allegedly sent the foreign liquor consignment from Haryana through transport, along with three other accused.
In Valsad, Police Inspector A.Y. Baloch conducted a raid on a public road at Chokifaliya in Kalsargam under Pardi taluka. Police seized around 60 boxes containing 2,051 bottles of IMFL and beer valued at Rs 5,90,784.
Ten vehicles and two mobile phones were also seized, taking the total value of the property to Rs 19,86,284. Sanjay alias Sanjay Bhayo Singh, a resident of Udvada in Valsad district and originally from Ara district in Bihar, was arrested.
Notices were issued to two persons, identified as female accused, while Bipin Patel of Daman, Kapil Bhandari of Orwad in Pardi and Kunal Patel were declared wanted.
Cases were registered against all the accused under relevant sections and further investigations are underway.
