Ahmedabad court rejects bail of accused involved in 59 liquor offences, booked under GUJCTOC

A Special Court in Ahmedabad have rejected the bail plea of an accused involved in 59 offences related to Prohibition Act in Gujarat and Rajasthan. The accused had sought regular bail before Ahmedabad District and Sessions Court for an offence of GUJCTOC (Gujarat Control of Terrorism and Organised Crime Act) by state monitoring cell this year.

The court while rejecting the bail plea of accused – Bhuralal Dangi (43), said that the investigation is ongoing and chargesheet is yet to be filed in the case. Investigation reveals the involvement of accused in commission of the offence and the Whatsapp call and chats would further reveal the nature of monetary transactions. It showed the modus operandi of the accused in transporting the prohibited liquor.

Court also noted that even after releasing him on bail in the offences, the applicant has continued his illegal activities of prohibition. The investigating officer in his affidavit has stated offence pertains to inter-state transportation of prohibited liquor in the Gujarat. Co-accused Sukhlal Dangi, who is the brother-in-law of the applicant is also yet to be arrested.

The applicant–accused is involved in 11 offences which are executed by the syndicate. Moreover, there are 47 offences related to Prohibition Act registered against the applicant at various police stations across the state and 12 offences related to foreign liquor under the Excise Act in Rajasthan. There are also total 8 offences registered against the applicant for robbery, murder, kidnapping, extortion, illegal detention etc.

Special Public Prosecutor while opposing the bail submitted before the court that the applicant–accused is a gang member of an organised crime syndicate that commits crime in connivance with each other. They have established their network either on their own or in collusion with other gang members of the said syndicate in the districts of Sabarkantha, Aravalli, Gandhinagar, Ahmedabad Rural, and Ahmedabad. Charge sheets have been filed against this gang in the Court in 3 offences over the last five years. The applicant–accused Bhuralal alias Bharat Langdo Dangi, Sukhlal Dangi, Mansing Damor and Shailesh Indramal Kothari have committed crimes by forming organised crime syndicate. If the applicant is granted bail there is a possibility that he may tamper with evidence or try to influence prosecution witness of the case and hence his bail should be denied, the special PP said.

Applicant’s advocate argued that if accused is not granted bail then his family is likely to suffer as he is the only sole bread earner. The trail will take its own time and hence he will have to face pre-trial conviction. The applicant is not likely to flee or abscond from the clutches of law.

A FIR was registered against the applicant by State Monitoring Cell, Gandhinagar for the offence under 3(1)(2), (3)(2), 3(4) and 3(5) of The Gujarat Control of Terrorism and Organised Crime Act.