Two held in Faridabad for selling ordinary liquor in bottles of premium brands

Police said the suspects used bottles of brands such as Royal Salute, Blue Label, Macallan and Amrut Greedy Angels, among others, that were filled with liquor that cost less than ₹500

Updated on: Apr 30, 2023, 23:56:05 IST

By Leena Dhankhar

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Gurugram: Faridabad police arrested two suspects on Saturday for allegedly selling ordinary liquor in bottles of premium brands. Police said the suspects used to sell the rebottled liquor to at least 18 shops across the city.

Police said the suspects used bottles of brands such as Royal Salute, Blue Label, Macallan and Amrut Greedy Angels, among others, that were filled with liquor that cost less than ₹500.

The suspects were identified as Charan Singh, a resident of NIT Faridabad and Nikhil Singh from Madhu Vihar in Delhi.

Mukesh Malhotra, deputy commissioner of police (crime), said they have recovered at least 40 cartons of cheap liquor packed in bottles of premium brands from liquor shops and the excise department has been informed about the matter. “We had received a tip-off based on which we formed teams and raided a few liquor shops. We found fake liquor from three outlets,” he said.

“Charan Singh is a repeat offender and 18 cases have been registered against him in Faridabad under the Excise Act. He has confessed to the crime and revealed that he used to rebottle ordinary liquor in bottles of premium brands to make money,” DCP Malhotra added.

A case under the Excise Act and Section 420 (fraud) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) was registered against the two suspects at Kotwali police station in Faridabad, police said.

According to investigators, the suspects had set up a liquor rebottling unit in the basement of their house where cheap liquor was being smuggled and filled in empty bottles of high-end brands such as Chivas Regal 12, Chivas Regal 18, Johnnie Walker Black Label, Johnnie Walker Gold Label, Glenlivet and Glenfiddich, among others.

DCP Malhotra said the entire racket was being run from Charan Singh’s house in Faridabad. They used to buy empty bottles of premium brands from ragpickers and later got the cases packaged from Delhi.

“Charan Singh used to purchase the cheap liquor from another suspect who has been identified but is still at large. The racket has caused revenue loss to the exchequer and also put lives of consumers at risk,” DCP Malhotra added.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Leena Dhankhar
Leena Dhankhar is Senior Editor and Bureau Chief, Gurugram, at Hindustan Times, where she has spent over 17 years chronicling the transformation of one of India's fastest-growing urban regions. From starting her career as a crime reporter to leading the Gurugram bureau, her journalism has been defined by investigative reporting, in-depth storytelling and an unwavering focus on public interest. Over nearly two decades, she has reported extensively across crime, politics, civic governance, elections, real estate, environment, courts, sports, education and entertainment, covering Gurugram, Faridabad, Nuh and Palwal. Her reporting has exposed several major scams and systemic failures, including insurance frauds, waste management irregularities, illegal arms manufacturing units in Nuh, illegal mining in the Aravallis, organised crime networks and governance lapses affecting millions of residents. Known for her investigative work and exclusive stories, Leena has reported on high-impact national issues, including the Nicaragua charter flight carrying Indian migrants that was turned back amid allegations of human trafficking, exposing the growing network of illegal immigration rackets. Her work has also focused on gang wars, prison administration, juvenile crime, women and child protection systems, the functioning of the Juvenile Justice Board and Child Welfare Committee, and environmental challenges such as pollution, waterlogging and deteriorating civic infrastructure. Beyond hard news, Leena has extensively documented Haryana's rich heritage, forests and wildlife, bringing attention to the state's historical landmarks, biodiversity, conservation efforts and ecological challenges through immersive reportage and feature writing. Her journalism has consistently gone beyond breaking news. She has documented Gurugram's rapid urbanisation through long-form narratives and enterprise reporting on issues ranging from pothole-ridden roads, flooding and waste management to the changing social fabric of India's Millennium City. She also writes widely read feature columns, including The Outsider, Changemaker, and Concern for Gurugram, profiling people, places and ideas shaping the city's identity. Leena is the author of Gurugram School Murder, published by Juggernaut Books, a deeply reported account of one of India's most high-profile school murder investigations. She is currently working on her second book, an investigative work exploring some of India's most significant scams and fraud investigations. Beyond print journalism, she has expanded her storytelling through public speaking and digital media. She is a TEDx speaker and has produced podcasts exploring Gurugram's transformation, civic challenges and untold stories. Her work reflects a commitment to narrative journalism that combines rigorous reporting with compelling storytelling. A law graduate with an MBA in Human Resources, Leena brings a multidisciplinary perspective to her reporting, particularly on governance, public policy and legal affairs. She has travelled extensively across India to pursue investigative assignments, often reporting from remote locations and conflict-prone areas in search of stories that matter.Read More