A team of Excise Department raided a residential complex and seized illegal stock of liquor and a scooter amounting to Rs 1.45 lakh in Russell Chowk area on Monday night. Acting under the directions of Collector Raghvendra Singh and guidance of Assistant Excise Commissioner Sanjeev Kumar Dubey, the Excise Department achieved a major breakthrough in its ongoing special campaign against illegal liquor. Based on a tip-off, a late-night search operation was conducted in the parking area of Swastik Complex at Russell Chowk under Omti police station. During the search, officials broke open a locked meter box installed in the premises, where a large stock of foreign and country-made liquor had been hidden.

 

Excise Sub-Inspector RS Maravi informed that a total of 22 bottles of foreign liquor comprising were seized. In addition, 283 quarter bottles of country-made plain liquor (67.44 bulk litres) were also recovered. The team also seized a Bajaj Chetak electric two-wheeler used for transportation of the liquor. The total estimated value of the seized liquor and vehicle is around Rs 1.45 lakh. An accused, identified as Chintu Sonkar, managed to flee from the spot. A case has been registered against him under Sections 34(1)(a) and 34(2) of the Madhya Pradesh Excise Act, 1915 and further investigation is underway. The successful raid was carried out by Excise Sub-Inspector Ravishankar Maravi, Rupali Jain and Excise constables Ramesh Inwati, Ashok Singh Baghel and Aditya Kaurav.