Illegal liquor found in Ambala in third such raid this month

The police on Saturday raided another godown storing huge quantities of illegal liquor in Ambala district.

This is the third such raid this month. A truck with contraband was also seized earlier this month by the police near the border of Punjab and Himachal Pradesh, which falls under the jurisdiction of Panjokhra police station.

As per the FIR lodged on the complaint of station in-charge Mohan Lal, the raids were conducted after Lal received “secret information” about English and Indian liquor being stored inside a marriage palace on Barnala road.

“Liquor to be sold in Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Chandigarh was stored and was being sold from here. It was a joint illegal venture of the owner of the palace, Jaipal, of Sector 7, Ambala City, and liquor contractor Pradeep Mittal. Pradeep didn’t have any documents or licence for the alcohol. Only an immediate raid could have helped recover huge quantities of liquor,” Lal said in the FIR.

Speaking to Hindustan Times, Lal said, “There are nearly 1,000 boxes of different brands and quantities of liquor in the godown, but to know the exact details, counting is being done.”

Meanwhile, deputy superintendent of police (DSP, Ambala-2) Madan Lal said an excise inspector was called at the spot, who told the police that no godown had been let to anyone in the area. “So, this proves that the liquor is illegal and a probe will be carried out,” the DSP said.

A case under relevant sections of the IPC and the Punjab Excise Act was registered.