Truck carrying consignment of liquor meant for sale in Punjab seized in Gurugram

Police said a crime branch team from Sikandarpur had received intelligence input that a huge consignment of liquor meant to be sold only in Punjab, was on its way to either Gujarat or Bihar. Police were soon able to track a 12-wheeler container truck that was found parked in Sector 2, IMT Manesar on Friday

At least 11,988 bottles of Indian-made foreign liquor (IFML) loaded in a sealed container truck were seized in IMT Manesar, Gurugram police said on Saturday. Police said the entire consignment was to be smuggled either to Gujarat or Bihar — the two ‘dry’ states.

The 12-wheeler container truck at Manesar police station. (HT Photo)

Police said a crime branch team from Sikandarpur had received intelligence input that a huge consignment of liquor meant to be sold only in Punjab, was on its way to either Gujarat or Bihar. Police were soon able to track a 12-wheeler container truck that was found parked adjacent to a 66kV sub-station in Sector 2, IMT Manesar, at about 10pm on Friday.

Varun Kumar Dahiya, assistant commissioner of police (crime-I), said the entire consignment was shipped from Batala in Gurdaspur district of Punjab. “The driver of the container truck, identified as Manish Raut, has been arrested, but he did not have any knowledge about the truck’s destination,” he said.

ACP Dahiya said a Haryana-based handler had directed Raut over the phone to drive the truck, which already had the ignition keys inside, from Batala to IMT Manesar.

Investigators said Raut, who hails from Sitamarhi in Bihar, but settled in Faridabad, had tried to mislead the police team by saying that the container truck was carrying hazardous chemicals, following which excise department officials were called at the spot.

When the container was opened after breaking the seal, police found that it was filled with liquor bottles.

Vikash Kumar, excise inspector (Gurugram), said the seized IMFL consignment, which was meant for sale only in Punjab, is worth around ₹25 lakh in the retail market.

“It the largest ever consignment of IMFL seized in Gurugram in the last one year. The driver did not have any relevant documents for transporting the liquor,” Kumar said.

Investigators said the container truck had been seized and was taken to Manesar police station, where the entire consignment was unloaded and counted.

On the basis of a complaint from constable Sandeep, who is posted in the crime branch unit of Sikandarpur, an FIR was registered against Raut and other unidentified suspects under the Punjab Excise Act (Haryana Amendment) Bill at Manesar police station on Saturday, police said.