Ahmedabad, Aug 24: A container carrying 32,392 bottles of Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL), packed in around 1,200 boxes, was seized by Sanand GIDC police near Virpur Patiya on the Sanand-Viramgam Highway, with the total value of the seized goods and vehicle estimated at Rs 1.36 crore.

The operation was carried out on August 23 by a team led by Police Inspector A.M. Desai of Sanand GIDC Police Station under Ahmedabad Rural Police.

Acting on information about the movement of an IMFL consignment, police intercepted the container and searched it, recovering liquor valued at Rs 1,11,03,388.

Police also seized the truck and container valued at Rs 25 lakh, three mobile phones worth Rs 15,000 and Rs 1,300 in cash. The total value of the seized property was put at Rs 1,36,19,688.

The container driver, Kartaram Meghwal, 30, a resident of Purava in Dhorimana taluka of Rajasthan’s Barmer district, was arrested in connection with the seizure.

According to the police investigation, the consignment was allegedly dispatched by Surendra Yadav, a resident of Ajmer district in Rajasthan.

The container owner, Mehraram Manaram of Dhola Der in Barmer, has also been named in the investigation.

Police have identified three people from Sudamda in Surendranagar district as allegedly involved in receiving or procuring the consignment in Gujarat — Devendra alias Dendu Boricha, Nagaraj Khachar and Devayat Khartani. In total, five persons have been sought in connection with the case.

Investigators are now examining the entire supply chain, including the procurement of the IMFL, financial transactions, loading, transportation and intended delivery of the consignment.

Police are also attempting to establish whether other people were involved in the network.

The seizure comes amid heightened police action against illegal liquor networks in Gujarat following the recent spurious liquor tragedy in Bhavnagar district which claimed 13 lives.

Separate units of police department have also recorded seizures of large IMFL consignments in the state in recent months.

Police said efforts were continuing to trace the remaining persons allegedly involved and establish their respective roles in the transportation and distribution of the consignment.

New Delhi, Aug 24: The Anti-Burglary Cell of Delhi Police’s South-West District has arrested two alleged burglars and a receiver of stolen property in connection with multiple house theft and burglary cases, recovering 42.11 grams of melted gold, two country-made pistols and a cache of house-breaking tools, police said in a press release issued on Monday.

The arrested accused have been identified as Mohd. Arif, Afsar and Inzamam Sheikh alias Raja Sheikh. According to the police, their arrests have helped resolve four cases of house theft and burglary registered in different parts of Delhi.

The police said the operation was launched after the Anti-Burglary Cell was directed to gather intelligence and take action against burglars operating in South-West District. A dedicated team comprising SI Bachchu Singh, HC Anshu, HC Kanti Lal, HC Sunil Kumar, HC Himmat Singh, HC Sanjay Kumar, HC Bhagirath, Ct. Ravinder, Ct. Lalit and Ct. Sachin was constituted under the leadership of Insp. Ram Kumar, I/C Anti Burglary Cell/SWD, and under the supervision of Sandeep Ghai, ACP/Operations/SWD.

During the investigation of two burglary cases registered at PS Palam Village, police analysed footage from around 700 CCTV cameras installed in and around the crime scenes. The footage allegedly showed the same group of suspects arriving at the locations on a motorcycle and committing the burglaries.

Police said technical analysis helped identify two suspects as Mohd. Arif and Irshad alias Bhanu, following which manual and technical surveillance was intensified.

On August 5, Mohd. Arif was arrested from Maujpur, Delhi. During interrogation, he allegedly disclosed that he and his associates had committed the two Palam-area burglaries using a stolen motorcycle. He also allegedly revealed that he and Irshad had stolen the motorcycle from the Keshav Puram area.

According to the police, a country-made pistol and house-breaking tools were recovered at Arif’s instance. The recovered tools included a hammer, iron pipe, pair of pliers, two spanners, screwdriver, key and wire cutter. Subsequently, co-accused Afsar was arrested from Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, and another country-made pistol was allegedly recovered from his possession.

The investigation also led police to Inzamam Sheikh alias Raja Sheikh, who was allegedly receiving stolen gold ornaments from the burglars. Police said 42.11 grams of melted gold, obtained from the stolen ornaments, was recovered from his possession.

The press release stated: “The team of Anti Burglary Cell, South-West District has arrested three accused persons, including two burglars, namely Mohd. Arif and Afsar and one receiver of stolen property, Inzamam Sheikh alias Raja Sheikh.”

Police further said that the accused are linked to four cases registered at PS Palam Village, PS Govind Puri and PS Keshav Puram.

Police said further investigation into the cases is underway.

Bengaluru, Aug 24: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has directed IAS officer Gyanendra Kumar to appear before the agency at its Bengaluru office on Tuesday morning for questioning in connection with its investigation into alleged irregularities in Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC) recruitment.

Following a nearly nine-hour search at Kumar’s Bengaluru residence on Monday, ED officials pasted a notice on the house directing him to appear before the agency’s office in the Ganganagar area of Bengaluru. The notice specifies the date and time for his appearance, officials confirmed.

The ED conducted the search as part of its investigation into alleged irregularities in the recruitment of veterinary officers, in which candidates were allegedly asked to pay bribes ranging from Rs 70 lakh to Rs 80 lakh to secure appointments.

Kumar was not present at his residence when the ED team arrived. He had reportedly left Bengaluru three days earlier and travelled to Uttar Pradesh. State Home Minister Priyank Kharge said that the officer travelled there as his father was unwell.

According to sources, Kumar left his residence carrying two large bags and also took his laptop, mobile phone and other electronic devices with him. Consequently, the ED team reportedly found limited material at the residence.

The officials conducted an extensive search of the premises, checking cupboards, walls and areas beneath the floor with scanners to look for documents or other material that may have been concealed.

A diary and some records were reportedly recovered during the search. The officials also examined available bank statements and documents related to private companies allegedly entrusted with responsibilities connected with government recruitment.

Sources, however, said that most electronic devices and important documents were not found at the residence. Apart from old clothes and furniture, the team reportedly found little material of significance.

The ED team arrived at the apartment complex in three vehicles accompanied by CRPF personnel. The entrance was initially locked, and security personnel reportedly refused to allow the officials inside, stating that they had not received instructions to do so.

After the ED team contacted Kumar, the security staff allowed them into the complex. As the officer’s residence was locked, a locksmith was called to open the door. The process was reportedly videographed as part of the search procedure.

Kumar, a 2016-batch IAS officer, had served as Controller of Examinations at the KPSC until March. He was associated with conducting the Karnataka Administrative Service (KAS) examination and the recruitment process for veterinary officers.

The latest search comes three days after the ED searched the residence of former KPSC chairman Shivashankarappa Sahukar and other premises in connection with the alleged recruitment irregularities.

The ED has conducted searches at multiple locations across Karnataka as part of its investigation into the alleged KPSC recruitment scam. The agency is examining documents, financial records and other material to establish the alleged flow of funds and identify those allegedly involved in the recruitment irregularities.