Over 11,000 illegal liquor bottles seized ahead of polls; four held

POLICE VERIFYING IF THE SUSPECTS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH ANY POLITICAL PARTY

NEW DELHI: The Delhi Police, on Tuesday, said they had seized over 11,000 bottles of illicit liquor, approximately 3,240 litres, which were smuggled into Delhi from Haryana and were meant to be distributed in the run up to the Delhi assembly elections. Four suspected suppliers of illicit liquor were arrested with 360 cartons containing the liquor bottles in two separate operations on Monday. Three vehicles in which the liquor bottles were being transported were been confiscated, the police said.

The police said they were interrogating the arrested men to ascertain if they were associated with any political party and whether any candidates had funded for the consignment.

Deputy commissioner of police (crime branch) G Ramgopal Naik said that in view of the Delhi Assembly elections all crime branch personnel were directed to take necessary steps to check smuggling and illegal sale of liquor and firearms.

DCP Naik said that in the first operation a crime branch team received information that vehicles carrying illicit liquor from Haryana would be coming to Jharoda Kalan near Najafgarh. The team intercepted two vehicles—a pickup van and a car.

“A total of 255 cartons, containing illicit liquor bottles, were found loaded in the van while the car was loaded with 45 such cartons. The van was being driven by 28-year-old Deepak. Two men, identified as Sagar (29) and Himanshu (20) were in the car. All three were arrested and booked under Section 33 of the Delhi Excise Act,” Naik said.

In the second operation, carried out by another team, 21-year-old Mohit was arrested from outer Delhi’s Siraspur. He was driving an SUV loaded with 60 cartons of illicit liquor bottles. “All the arrested men said they were doing it to earn a quick buck by selling illicit liquor ahead of the Assembly elections to be held in Delhi on February 8,” said an officer associated with the operations