Vehicle carrying fake liquor seized in Umarga, two held, goods worth Rs 4 lakh confiscated
Murum police seized a vehicle carrying fake liquor worth over Rs 4 lakh near Umarga and took two men into custody.
A racket making and transporting fake Indian and foreign liquor in the Yenegur area of Umarga taluka was uncovered in a raid by Murum police. Police laid a trap on the Solapur-Yenegur road and intercepted a vehicle carrying liquor on Wednesday night. The raid led to the seizure of goods worth a total of Rs 4,33,040, including 19 boxes and 8 bottles of liquor along with the vehicle. A case has been registered under the Prohibition Act against Amar Prakash Yedge (resident of Yenegur) and Kashinath Digambar Devkar (resident of Karvanji), and both have been taken into custody.
Amar Yedge is suspected to be the main person behind the operation. Police are investigating who else was in contact with him, and whether the fake Indian and foreign liquor made in the Yenegur area was being sent to other places or outside the district.
A team led by Assistant Police Inspector Ganesh Patil of Murum police station laid a trap on the Solapur-Yenegur road at Yenegur. Police spotted a vehicle bearing registration number MH 25 Z 3000. When the driver saw the police, he tried to flee, but police gave chase and stopped the vehicle at Supatgaon Shivar. On inspection, a large quantity of liquor was found in the vehicle. Police seized the vehicle along with the liquor stock and took both accused into custody. An investigation is underway into whether the fake liquor made in Yenegur was sold only locally or supplied to different districts. Further questioning of the accused and continuing investigation will reveal the scale of the alleged racket and who else may be involved.
The action was carried out under the guidance of Superintendent of Police Ritu Khokhar and Additional Superintendent of Police Sachin Pandkar, and on the instructions of Umarga Sub-Divisional Police Officer Prashant Sampate. The team led by Assistant Police Inspector Ganesh Patil of Murum police station included Amar Mahanure, driver Vilas Sahane, Milind Sakhale, as well as Santosh Boyane, Birajdar and other police personnel from Umarga police station.
Investigators say it will be important to establish where the raw material for making the fake liquor was sourced, exactly where the liquor was being manufactured, under which brand names it was being sent to market, where the bottles, caps and labels were obtained, and who the goods were being supplied to. Police will also investigate whether other accomplices, suppliers, transporters or sellers were involved in the alleged racket.
