AHMEDABAD: In a state that prides itself on its strict prohibition laws, a tip-off exposed illegal liquor possession – not by civilians, but by the very officers sworn to enforce the law. Two police personnel from Naroda landed in hot water after officers searched their PCR van and found liquor bottles and unexplained cash.
The city police suspended police head constable, Satish Thakore, and home guard jawan, Vikramsinh Rajput, after two bottles of liquor were found in their police control room (PCR) van on Thursday night.
Confirming the incident, assistant commissioner of police (G Division) V N Yadav said that the two had, allegedly, found the bottles on a rickshaw driver but instead of filing a case, decided to keep the liquor for themselves.
In a complaint registered on Thursday night, head constable Kiran with the Naroda police surveillance squad stated, “Around 16.45pm, inspector A R Dhavan received a tip-off that the in charge of PCR van number 91 and the home guard working with him had sealed bottles of Indian-made foreign liquor (IMFL) in a black bag inside the vehicle. We were instructed to carry out a check.”
A check was conducted in the presence of two witnesses. “Rajput was seated in the back seat of the van. On seeing our team, he attempted to flee with the bag but was quickly stopped. Inside, officers found two liquor bottles and Rs 30,000 in cash – 60 notes of Rs 500 each,” the complaint stated.
Investigation revealed that Thakore and Rajput were standing near Hanspura Bridge when they found the liquor bottles during a routine search of a suspicious rickshaw. They, allegedly, allowed the driver to leave without filing a case against him. When Thakore and Rajput were questioned about the cash, they could not provide satisfactory answers, according to the complaint. A case under the Prohibition Act was registered against the two.
Naroda Police are investigating whether the two had kept the liquor for personal consumption or use it to frame individuals in fabricated cases. The police are now investigating where the cash and the bottles came from.
This isn’t the first time Gujarat Police have found themselves embroiled in controversies related to the state’s prohibition laws. Other incidents include cops allegedly extorting liquor from tourists and even stashing foreign liquor at home.
