Gujarat Police raid liquor party near Ahmedabad; over 42 detained

Ahmedabad, July 21 A late-night police raid late last week at Glade One Resort near Sanand in Gujarat's Ahmedabad district exposed a high-profile liquor party allegedly organised as a birthday celebration for real estate businessman Pratik Sanghvi, police said on Monday.

Acting on a tip-off, around 100 people were attending the party and Ahmedabad police detained around 42 people, who were under the influence of alcohol.

Among those caught were individuals from prominent localities and even out-of-state guests.

The list includes Jimit Jayeshbhai Sheth and Harsh Jayeshbhai Sheth, both from Sargasan, Gandhinagar; Bhavesh Ramanresh Kathiriya from Ramol, Ahmedabad; Pratik Suresh Jat from Nashik, Maharashtra; Kushal Kiritbhai Prajapati from Odhav village; Deep Chandrakantbhai Vadodariya from Nawavadi, Ahmedabad; Rajan Gopalbhai Soni from Navi Mumbai; Ronit Rajeshbhai Panchal from New Ranip; Noman Mukhtar Sheikh from Sarkhej; Jay Piyushbhai Vyas, also from Sargasan; Mahavirsingh Vikramsingh Solanki from Odhav; and Yash Dhanshyambhai Jat Sen from Bapunagar.

Police issued notices to 26 young women and released them, while the remaining attendees were taken in for medical testing.

The operation, which lasted until late Sunday night, was carried out under Gujarat's strict prohibition laws and is expected to lead to formal charges in the coming days.

The case is still under investigation.

Gujarat is a dry state under the Gujarat Prohibition Act, 1949, which bans the sale, purchase, and consumption of alcohol without a valid liquor permit.

While residents can obtain permits for health reasons, tourists and NRIs are allowed temporary permits to buy and drink alcohol legally at licensed hotels and government-authorised shops.

Violating the law -- by drinking, possessing, or selling liquor without permission -- can lead to imprisonment up to six months, heavy fines, or harsher penalties in cases involving bootlegging or spurious liquor.

Despite strict enforcement and frequent police raids, especially at private parties and resorts, illegal liquor consumption continues across parts of the state.

Gujarat's stringent prohibition laws are met with vigorous enforcement, resulting in massive liquor seizures in recent years.

In 2024, authorities confiscated nearly 82 lakh bottles of Indian-made foreign liquor (IMFL) worth Rs 144 crore -- averaging a bottle seized every four seconds -- across major regions including Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Surat, Navsari and Bhavnagar.

Meanwhile, the State Monitoring Cell alone registered 455 cases, seizing liquor valued at Rs 22.52 crore during the same year, with Ahmedabad accounting for Rs 61 lakh of that amount.

In the legislative arena, a key amendment in August 2024 granted authorities the power to seize and auction vehicles involved in liquor smuggling -- even before court judgments.

However, provisions allow compensation with interest if the accused are later acquitted.

Recent localised busts underscore both the scale and sophistication of smuggling.

Notable seizures include 349 bottles and 48 beer cans worth Rs 3.39 lakh in Ahmedabad; more than 30 lakh bottles of IMFL and 2 lakh litres of country liquor seized statewide; and a seizure worth Rs 41.13 lakh from a truck hiding liquor under rice sacks in Chhota Udepur.

In a striking case from Aravalli district, a suspended police constable was found in possession of 1,069 liquor bottles, valued at Rs 1.76 lakh.

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