Truck with 1,055 cartons of illegal liquor seized, two arrested
Police in Gurugram arrested two suspects and seized 1,055 cartons of Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) being smuggled to Bihar through the Kundli-Manesar-Palwal Expressway. The liquor, smuggled from Punjab, was hidden below sacks of grain in a truck. Police suspect a major racket involved in smuggling IMFL from Punjab to Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
Gurugram: Police on Thursday arrested two suspects and seized 1,055 cartons of Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL), which were being smuggled to Bihar through the Kundli-Manesar-Palwal (KMP) Expressway near Bilaspur. As per police, the liquor was smuggled from Punjab.
Truck with 1,055 cartons of illegal liquor seized, two arrested
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The suspects were identified as truck driver Govardhan Singh (45), of Barmer, Rajasthan, and helper Naveen Kumar (35), of Sonipat.
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Police said in order to avoid suspicion, the suspects had hidden the liquor cartons below sacks of grain. The truck, bearing a Haryana registration number, was seized but police are yet to identify its owner.
Varun Dahiya, assistant commissioner of police (crime), said they received a tip-off around midnight and a team was formed to nab the suspects. “The truck was seen coming from the Badli-Jhajjar side and had reached near village Langra in Bilaspur when the police team intercepted it,” he said.
ACP Dahiya said when police personnel signalled the truck to stop, both the driver and helper tried to flee from the spot but were caught after a chase. “We seized the truck around 12.30am on Thursday. It was intercepted on the basis of specific intelligence,” he said.
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Police said the liquor was sourced from a distillery in Punjab and was being taken to Bihar, where liquor is banned.
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Police said the liquor was sourced from a distillery in Punjab and was being taken to Bihar, where liquor is banned.
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Investigators said they suspect a major racket that is involved in smuggling IMFL from Punjab to Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, where it is sold through illegal channels at higher rates.
ACP Dahiya said the registration papers of the truck were also found to be fake.
As per police, the modus operandi adopted by the gang members is unique as four to five drivers are employed to transport the illicit liquor. The drivers have to cover a specific distance only and they neither know the origin nor the destination of the consignment. “That way, the kingpin ensures that even if a truck is intercepted, the network remains intact and the illegal trade continues,” said ACP Dahiya.
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Incidentally, on June 9 this year, 11,988 IMFL bottles loaded in a sealed container truck were seized in IMT Manesar. Police said the entire consignment was to be smuggled either to Gujarat or Bihar — both of which are ‘dry’ states.
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.
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