Crackdown on bootleggers in Ludhiana

Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, August 3

Continuing its drive against bootleggers and smugglers of liquor, the police have arrested 18 persons and booked 15 others under the Excise Act.

Among those arrested for bootlegging and smuggling of liquor were Devinder Singh from GT Road, Jodhewal (43 cases of whisky); Captain from Talwandi village (14 bottles illicit liquor), Naresh Thakur and Kulwant Singh from the T-point on Bulara Road, Ranian (18 bottles of country lquor); Rakesh Kumar from Sua Road, Hargobind Nagar (11 bottles country liquor); Devinder Singh from Shimlapuri (seven bottles of country liquor), Jagjit Singh from Ladian Kalan (30 bottles of hooch), 26 bottles of illicit liquor from Bholewal Jadid (unidentified carrier managed to escape), a woman from Humbran (20 bottles of illicit liquor), Lakhwinder Singh from Nawan Razapur (33 bottles illicit liquor), Varinder Singh and Harpreet Singh from near the railway tracks, Manjit Nagar (89 bottles of whisky); Tilak Raj from Midha Chowk (12 bottles of rum), Suresh Kumar from Guru Arjun Dev Nagar (12 bottles of whisky) and Jasbir Singh from Gaunsgarh village (48 bottles of country liquor).

In a raid conducted in the fields near the Sutlej bundh in the Ladhowal area, the police busted a gang of bootleggers and illicit distillers. While the suspects escaped, the police seized 45 litre of illicit liquor, one drum, two utensils, plastic cans and 50,000 litre of hooch. A case under sections 61, 1 and 14 of the Excise Act has been registered against Joga Singh, Makhan Singh, Jagmeet Singh. Gurdeep Singh, all residents of Razapur; Pala, Ajit Singh, Raj Singh, Kalu, Satnam Singh, Babbu, Nanak Singh, Sarvan Singh and Balbir Singh, all residents of Razapur Bholewal Jadid.