In a midnight operation on Friday, Ahmedabad Rural Police raided a farmhouse near Shela and busted a liquor and hookah party, arresting 20 people — including 13 foreign nationals, six women, and two Indian organisers — for violating Gujarat’s prohibition laws.
Acting on a tip-off, police found that several foreign students, mostly from Gujarat University, had organised an “annual get-together” featuring alcohol, loud music, and hookahs at Zephyr Stays Farmhouse. The event was reportedly arranged by Kenyan national John Cedrek alias Kiptho.
According to officials, entry passes were sold through a closed WhatsApp group in three tiers — ₹2,500, ₹10,000, and ₹25,000 (Diamond Category), which offered “unlimited alcohol.” The party began around 8 p.m. and continued until 3 a.m., when teams from the Bopal Police, Local Crime Branch (LCB), and Special Operations Group (SOG) conducted the raid.
Police Posed as Guests
Officers entered the venue posing as guests before launching the operation. Inside, they found attendees consuming liquor and smoking hookahs. Police seized 51 bottles of imported liquor, 22 beer cans, 13 hookahs, 15 packets of hookah flavours, 19 mobile phones, and a TUV 300 SUV — collectively worth ₹6.57 lakh.
Fifteen heavily intoxicated individuals were taken to Sola Civil Hospital for examination. Samples of seized hookah substances were sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) to check for narcotic content. If confirmed, the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act will also be invoked.
Organisers and Suppliers Arrested
The arrested include foreign nationals from Kenya, Mozambique, Madagascar, Comoros, and Botswana. Two Indian bootleggers — Anant Rajendrabhai Kapil and Ashish Kantilal Jadeja of Motera — allegedly supplied the liquor. The farmhouse owner, Milan Patel, was also booked for allowing the premises to be used for the illegal gathering.
‘Rave-Like’ Atmosphere
Police described the event as a “rave-like party” with strobe lights, DJs, and loud music. Around 72 people were reportedly present, though many fled through adjoining plots during the raid.
“Most attendees were African students studying at Gujarat University. However, liquor consumption in any form is strictly prohibited in Gujarat,” said Om Prakash Jat, District Superintendent of Ahmedabad Rural Police.
Prohibition Act Case Filed
A case has been registered under relevant sections of the Gujarat Prohibition Act. Investigators are analysing digital evidence from seized phones to trace the liquor supply chain and check if similar parties were held earlier.
Authorities reiterated that Gujarat’s prohibition laws apply equally to all, and further action will follow based on forensic reports and digital analysis.