Raid on cafe for selling liquor illegally, case filed
The raid was carried out by a team led by excise inspector Ashok Kumar, who, along with other staff, confiscated the stock comprising 60 bottles of 750ml vodka and 563 pints of beer.
As many as 563 pints of beer and 60 bottles of vodka were seized from a cafe-cum-restaurant serving alcohol without permission in Gwal Pahari on Friday evening, officials said. The raid was conducted by the excise and taxation department.
The owner of the restaurant fled during the raid.
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An FIR has been filed against the establishment under Section 61 (1)(a) of Punjab Excise Act 1914 and officials have confirmed that further investigation is underway to trace the source of supply. The owner of the restaurant fled during the raid, so no arrests have been made as yet.
Excise officials said that the raid was part of the department’s campaign to curb unauthorised liquor sales, particularly in cafes and restaurants operating in isolated stretches and forested areas of Gurugram. Officials said that such locations often evade scrutiny and violate excise regulations, posing risks to public safety and loss to revenue collection.
Jitender Dudi, deputy excise and taxation commissioner, Gurugram (East), said, “The department is intensifying efforts to identify and take stringent action against establishments flouting excise regulations, especially those operating in secluded areas without proper licenses. Such establishments often evade regulatory oversight, posing significant risks to public safety and resulting in revenue losses for the state.”
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The raid was carried out by a team led by excise inspector Ashok Kumar, who, along with other staff, confiscated the stock comprising 60 bottles of 750ml vodka and 563 pints of beer.
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The raid was carried out by a team led by excise inspector Ashok Kumar, who, along with other staff, confiscated the stock comprising 60 bottles of 750ml vodka and 563 pints of beer.
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According to officials, the owner of the cafe fled the scene during the raid.
Dr Ashok Kumar, the excise inspector, urged the residents to report instances of illegal liquor sales, assuring prompt action.
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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