Amritsar police seize 30.8 lakh ml ethanol

The Amritsar rural police seized 30.8 lakh millilitres of ethanol from a truck at a checkpoint in Beas and detained two persons, including a minor, for their alleged involvement in an illicit liquor supply network. The seizure was made during checking of a truck arriving from Haryana, with the police suspecting that the chemical was intended for the manufacture of illicit liquor ahead of the festive season.

SSP (Rural) Kanwalpreet Singh Chahal said the recovered ethanol could have been used to prepare around 17,000 bottles of illicit and potentially poisonous liquor. He described the seizure as one of the biggest recoveries of its kind in the history of the Amritsar rural police.

According to the SSP, the police intensified checking at sensitive locations ahead of the festive season following directions from Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann and DGP Gaurav Yadav. Acting on a tip-off, special teams were formed under SP (D) Ramandeep, DSP Baba Bakala Sukhpal, DSP (D) Gurinder Nagra, CIA staff in-charge Manmeet and Beas police station SHO Mukhtiar Singh.

During checking at the high-tech checkpoint in Beas, the police intercepted a truck bearing registration number PB 65 AU 3421 and recovered approximately 30.8 lakh millilitres of ethanol. Excise Department officials were called to the spot, and an FIR (No. 336/26) was registered under the Excise Act at the Beas police station.

Chahal alleged that the consignment was intended for the manufacture of illicit liquor for sale in villages during the festive season, particularly around Diwali. He said the liquor could have been sold at low prices to economically vulnerable people, including daily-wage workers. The SSP warned that improper mixing of the chemical could have resulted in serious consequences.

During questioning, the police identified Jitender, a resident of Mattewal, and Raju, a resident of Golden Gate in Amritsar, as the alleged main operators of the network. The SSP said Jitender allegedly paid the detained persons Rs 4,000 per trip to transport the chemical from the Karnal area of Haryana.

The police have detained Rajwinder Singh and a minor in connection with the case. Chahal said vehicles, including Creta, Innova and Fortuner SUVs, were allegedly used by members of the network to conduct reconnaissance of police checkpoints and escort trucks carrying the chemical. He added that Jitender had previously faced cases under the NDPS Act and excise laws.

The police are questioning the detained persons and conducting raids to arrest the alleged main operators and establish the full supply chain, the SSP said.