Liquor sold in bottles as ‘sarbath shake’, man held

KOCHI: The excise department on Thursday arrested a Tamil Nadu native who sold liquor illegally in small bottles, under the name ‘sarbath shake’, at the Kaloor bus station. The arrested is Muthu alias Palpandi, 52, residing at Manapattiparambu.

The excise officials also recovered four litres of liquor, and bottles, from his possession. The accused person targeted daily-wage workers who gather in numbers at Kaloor Junction and on bus station premises to get work in the morning hours.

“We received information that drinks containing liquor are illegally sold to daily workers in the Kaloor area. This led us to enhance our surveillance at Kaloor junction and the bus stand areas. Our shadow team identified Palpandi as the main supplier of liquor in the area,” an excise officer said.

Officers in plainclothes were present in the area to intercept Palpandi on Thursday morning. Growing suspicious of the presence of excise officers, he threw the bag containing liquor and bottles and tried to flee by getting into an autorickshaw. Excise officers chased him and recorded his arrest.

Palpandi was later produced before the court and remanded in judicial custody.  “Palpandi approached his customers asking whether they needed ‘sarbath shake’ which gives energy to work for an entire day. ‘sarbath shake’ is normal Indian Made Foreign Liquor. He has been operating in the area for the past several months. We will approach the court and seek his custody,” the officer said.