Five held with illicit foreign liquor worth over ₹90k ahead of Vadodara civic polls

Five persons, including two women, were arrested in separate operations in Vadodara for allegedly possessing and selling 120 illicit Indian-made foreign liquor worth over ₹90,000 ahead of the municipal corporation elections scheduled for April 26, police said on Monday.

Acting on a tip-off, the Raopura and Wadi police stations carried out raids in various areas. 

Raopura police intercepted a moped on Central Jail Road late at night after receiving information that two women, Rutikaben Sanjay (26), and Ashwiniben Sanjay (24), were transporting liquor. The vehicle, an Activa without a number plate, was stopped and searched, yielding 96 bottles of Indian-made foreign liquor. The police seized the moped valued at around Rs 50,000, along with the liquor and took both women into custody for further questioning.

In a separate incident, the police detained a man identified as Sagar alias Lalit Mahesh Kahar from the Dandiya Bazaar area, where he was allegedly caught selling liquor openly near a hospital. 12 bottles of illicit liquor worth ₹2,700 were recovered from his possession.

Similarly, Wadi police station apprehended Krishna Hanabhai Kahar(58), who was caught red-handed with 12 bottles of Indian-made foreign liquor worth ₹10,000. His son Ritwik, alias Laddu, who is suspected to be involved, is absconding. Efforts are under way to trace him.