Gujarat is a ‘dry’ state, but a section of the state police certainly isn’t. Four police constables face action for their involvement in liquor smuggling.
In Bharuch, two cops were suspended on Thursday on suspicion that they were snooping on the technical surveillance team of the state’s monitoring cell formed to act against the bootleggers. The suspects shared the real-time location of the officers with the liquor mafia involved in sourcing hooch from Madhya Pradesh and other states — for a price.
According to sources, monitoring team members were growing disappointed with the raids’ ineffective results. The entire scandal was revealed by an investigation, according to an officer.. Bharuch SP Leena Patil has suspended the two cops — Mayur and Ashok.
According to sources, further investigation may shed light on the involvement of other police officers in the case. In Gujarat, a superintendent of police is in charge of the State Monitoring Cell (SMC). It has the authority to conduct raids on bootleggers or alcohol dens and reports directly to the DGP.
Sources said the mobile numbers of SMC’s 15 officers were tracked and their movements were collected. These were shared at least 600 times with bootleggers in Bharuch. In another incident, in the state’s northern Aravalli district, two constables were arrested on Thursday for allegedly smuggling liquor.
The police said Himatnagar Local Crime Branch intercepted a vehicle that had no registration plate. The search led to a huge amount of Indian-made foreign liquor. The main accused in the case are Rohitsinh Chauhan and Vijay Parmar, both posted at the Aravalli police headquarters.