2 held with 3,959 cartons of spurious liquor

Tribune News Service

Mohali, October 31

The Mohali police have arrested two persons and recovered 3,959 cartons of spurious liquor from a godown at Moharra village near Ambala Cantonment in Haryana.

The arrested accused have been identified as Krishan Kumar, a truck driver aged around 45 and a resident of Haibowal village in Ludhiana, and Divay Khanna, a resident of Motiaz Royal City, Zirakpur.

The consignment was brought from Uttarakhand. It had a seal of the Uttarakhand Excise Department. The seal on the bottles mentioned that the liquor was meant for sale in Chandigarh only. The police have also seized three trucks.

Divulging details, Mohali SSP Navjot Singh Mahal said a special drive was initiated against anti-social elements, criminals and drug peddlers in view of the forthcoming Assembly elections. After receiving a tip-off, a police team, under the supervision of SP (City) Akashdeep Singh Aulakh and OSP (City-1) Gursher Singh Sandhu, laid a naka in Phase 6, Mohali, on October 29. A police team, headed by Phase 6 police post in-charge Sub-Inspector Kulwant Singh, signalled a commercial vehicle, bearing registration number HR-68-B-0606, to stop for checking. The vehicle was ferrying vegetables and fruits to Amritsar. During the checking of the vehicle, 520 cases of fake ‘Naina’ whisky (for sale in Chandigarh only having seal of the Uttarakhand excise) were recovered. The cases were concealed beneath the crates of fruits and vegetables.

The SSP said during preliminary investigation, vehicle driver Krishan Kumar made a disclosure statement that the fake liquor was supplied by Divay Khanna, alias Vicky, and there was a godown at Moharra village, Ambala Cantonment, where spurious liquor was stored. The said godown was raided and a recovery of another 3,439 cases of spurious liquor was made which was stored in two trucks bearing registration numbers HR-550-N-9457 and HR-37-D-1704. The police arrested Divay Khanna, alias Vicky, today from Zirakpur.

Mahal said further investigations were on in the case and they were hoping to get further revelations. A case under Sections 61, 1 and 14 of the Excise Act has been registered against the two accused.