Two policemen caught with huge liquor haul in Aravalli, Gujarat

Aravalli police has come in for flak after two police personnel were caught red-handed while transferring a consignment of foreign liquor worth ₹3.75 lakh from one vehicle to another with the intention of supplying it ahead of December 31.

The incident occurred at Ansol village, where Aravalli LCB seized a total prohibition haul worth ₹10,45,120 and registered an offence against four accused, triggering serious questions over law and order in the district.

Just two days before New Year’s Eve, police across Gujarat were put on high alert to curb illegal liquor activities in the dry state. In Aravalli district, strict surveillance measures including drone monitoring, CCTV vigilance and deployment of over 700 police personnel had been put in place.

However, in a shocking turn of events, a policeman attached to Shamlaji Police Station allegedly used police assistance to procure liquor from Rajasthan and store it near the Gujarat–Rajasthan border before selling it to an SRP jawan.

According to information received by LCB Police Inspector M H Zala, the LCB team conducted a raid on Sunday night around 10 pm at Bhanat Faliya in Ansol village. During the raid, two police personnel were caught loading foreign liquor from a rickshaw parked in the courtyard of a house belonging to Suresh alias Mamu Ninama into a car. Taking advantage of the situation, two other accused managed to flee from the spot.

The LCB team led by Police Sub-Inspector P P Solanki arrested Shamlaji police constable No. 741 Popat Bharwad and SRP constable No. 142 Rahul Desai. From their possession, police seized 27 boxes containing 816 bottles of foreign liquor valued at ₹3,75,120.

The arrested accused have been identified as:

1. Popatbhai Kalabhai Bharwad, police constable No. 741, posted at Ansol Check Post, Shamlaji Police Station.

2. Rahulbhai alias Jayeshbhai Lilabhai Desai, police constable No. 142, SRP Group-10, Ankleshwar (Valiya), resident of Jamtha, Taluka Dhansura.

Meanwhile, two accused have been declared wanted:

1. Sureshbhai alias Mamu Ranchhodbhai Ninama, resident of Bhanat Faliya, Ansol village, Taluka Shamlaji, Aravalli district.

2. Rahul Damjibhai Valand, resident of Shaktinagar, Dhansura.

The arrest of two policemen in a liquor bootlegging racket has caused a major embarrassment for the Aravalli police force and raised serious concerns about internal discipline, especially at a time when strict enforcement of prohibition laws is being claimed across the state.