AHMEDABAD: Legally, panch witnesses are taken to a crime scene to substantiate an offence against accused person.
But some panch witnesses in a village in Palanpur taluka of Banaskantha, themselves destroyed around five litres of country liquor during a raid.
Sources in Palanpur police said that the incident took place on Sunday evening when constable Ashok Ramji of Palanpur taluka police, along with two panch witnesses raided a liquor den in Hathidra village.
A cop said that the two panch witnesses, residents of Chitrasani village of Palanpur, had a fight with the accused Ghemraji Visatar over some financial dispute after which they kicked pots and bottles filled with liquor and destroyed it. According to the official police version, the accused managed to flee and the panch witnesses had to destroy the liquor as there was no facility to take the alcohol to the police station.
An FIR filed with Palanpur taluka police states that Ramji, who was posted at Chitrasani village outpost, got an input that Visatar had set up a brewing still at his farm where he also had some IMFL bottles. After Ramji and two panch witnesses arrived, the three had a dispute with the Visatar over a compromise in the case while demanding money.
At that time, the two panch witnesses got into a brawl with Visatar and Ramji over their share in the case. This led them to destroy the pots of country liquor and two IMFL bottles by kicking and throwing them away.
The cop managed to get 180ml of liquor as evidence in the case but could not ascertain the total quantity. An inquiry has been initiated by Palanpur police regarding destruction of the liquor.