Illicit liquor unit busted at Muktsar’s Badal village
Over 2,200 litre extra neutral alcohol, a huge cache of holograms, packaging material of premium liquor brands seized
BATHINDA: The Punjab excise department has busted an illicit liquor racket at Badal village in Muktsar district with the arrest of its kingpin Manoj Sharma.
It was the first major raid by the excise department in southern Punjab since April last year, when the authorities had launched Operation Red Rose against illicit manufacturing and trading of liquor.
According to officials privy to the matter, the role of a politically influential person from the village — which is the native place of Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Badal and state finance minister Manpreet Badal — is under scrutiny.
Joint excise commissioner Naresh Dubey, who oversaw the raid at the manufacturing unit on Friday, said the gang was supplying illicit liquor in southern Punjab.
“The unit was operating from an orchard and it was under surveillance for over 10 days. Besides recovering more than 2,200 liters of extra neutral alcohol, our team also found a huge cache of holograms, packaging material of various premium liquor brands and packed cases ready for delivery,” the Joint excise commissioner
IT WAS FIRST MAJOR RAID BY EXCISE DEPT IN SOUTHERN PUNJAB SINCE APRIL LAST YEAR WHEN OPERATION RED ROSE WAS LAUNCHED
said.
Two men, Pargat Singh and Jashan Singh, who were working at the unit were also held besides the kingpin. “Land records have been summoned.
More arrests are likely,” said Dubey.
Muktsar senior superintendent of police D Sudarvizhi said a case is being registered at the Lambi police station.