3,108 cartons of illicit liquor, beer worth ₹79 lakh seized in Chandigarh

Police said the cartons were being transported to the Sector-22 showroom from a godown in Sector 35 without any valid license or permit

In the run-up to Lok Sabha elections in Chandigarh, police have arrested four persons, including two liquor contractors, after 3,108 cartons of illegal liquor and beer worth ₹79 lakh were seized from the basement of a showroom in Sector 22, Chandigarh, during a raid on Sunday night.

Around 1,100 cartons of liquor and beer were being loaded in a tempo from the basement when the raid was conducted around 12.30 am, said police. (HT Photo)

Police said the cartons, which included 640 boxes of English liquor/wine and 2,468 boxes of various brands of beer, were stored in the basement from where a liquor vend was being operated illegally. Police said the cartons were being transported to the Sector-22 showroom from a godown in Sector 35 without any valid license or permit.

The accused have been identified as Rakesh Kumar Dheer, 52, of Raipur Kalan, Mohali, Phase 11, Karambir Singh, 39, of Gurgaon, Haryana, driver Naveen, 29, of Gonda, Uttar Pradesh, and tempo-helper Sant Parkash, 34, of Gonda. Police said preliminary investigation suggests that liquor was scheduled to be transported to UP.

Around 1,100 cartons of liquor and beer were being loaded in a tempo from the basement when the raid was conducted around 12.30am, said police.

During the raid, a team of operation cell, comprising DSP Jasbir Singh, inspector Sher Singh and others, confiscated the loaded tempo and illicit liquor from the basement of a showroom in Sector 22 C. A case was registered at Sector-17 police station.