LIQUOR SMUGGLING IN THE NAME OF VARANASI PICKLE IN BIHAR ELECTIONS

LIQUOR SMUGGLING IN THE NAME OF VARANASI PICKLE IN BIHAR ELECTIONS

7-SEP-ENG 2

RAJIV NAYAN AGRAWAL

VARANASI---------------------------Liquor smuggling was busted in the parcel office at Varanasi Cantt station. 288 bottles were being sent to Patna in 32 canisters. When suspicion arose, scanning was done and liquor was recovered. GRP has arrested a youth. Investigation revealed that the liquor belonged to Vinod Gupta, a resident of Saran, Bihar.

Smuggling was being done due to prohibition in Bihar. 1. Liquor smuggling busted at Cantt station, 2. 288 bottles of foreign liquor recovered, 3. One youth detained, investigation underway

The demand for liquor in Bihar elections is so high that liquor is being supplied to Bihar from Purvanchal of Uttar Pradesh with new methods every day. After Ballia, Ghazipur and Chandauli, now liquor is being consumed in large quantities in Bihar in view of the demand with the help of new tricks in Banaras. In this connection, the game of liquor smuggling was exposed on Thursday evening in the parcel office located at Cantt station.

The smugglers made 16 parcel packets of 32 canisters and booked them for Patna. When the parcel workers got suspicious, the suspicion deepened when the packets were scanned again. When the parcel packets were opened in front of GRP-RPF, 288 bottles of English liquor were recovered from them. The value of Haryana-made liquor has been estimated to be in lakhs. GRP has arrested Krishna Gupta, a resident of Varunapuri Colony of Phulwari. Station Director Arpit Gupta inspected the spot.

At 11 in the morning, a person named Shatrughan Rai reached Varanasi on Thursday with a consignment of 16 parcel packets. He got the parcel packets booked in the name of Sultan, a resident of Patna, through the handler Krishna Gupta he met there. The special thing is that even the scanning machine could not detect the fact that there was liquor in the parcel packets. Since there was no train at that time, the parcel packet remained there. Under certain circumstances, the parcel staff got suspicious and GRP in-charge Rajol Nagar, RPF Inspector Sandeep Yadav, Constable Pramod Singh reached there. After which, investigation was done in their presence and the game was exposed.

The police investigation has revealed that the liquor belongs to Vinod Gupta, a resident of Saran, Bihar. He had booked the parcel through his disciple Shutrugdha Rai. The liquor smuggling is being linked to the liquor ban in Bihar and the upcoming elections. During the investigation by the security personnel, one thing was discussed that two days ago, similar parcel packets were booked.

The Haryana-made liquor bottle Royal Stag costs around Rs 700 per bottle in UP, which is sold for Rs 2000 in Bihar. Customers do not even have to be searched. People reach the seller secretly themselves. The sellers also deliver on demand to people's homes to fill their pockets. Officer said

A large amount of liquor has been seized due to the activeness of railway workers. Action is going on at the level of RPF and GRP. Why the liquor was not seen in the scanning machine, it will be investigated.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Kunwar Prabhat Singh said that there is a discrepancy at many levels. How the scanning machine became weak, its capacity will be investigated. Krishna Gupta has been arrested, while many more names have come to the fore in the investigation so far. There will be investigation on many points, action will be taken against each person involved in smuggling.

In the year 2023, the uncle-nephew gang used to send liquor bottles to Bihar in the name of pickle and jam through transport. Raju Singh, who was the Sigra Inspector at that time, exposed the game. Police raided from UP to Bihar and exposed the gang.