Image used for representational purpose only. (Photo | EPS)
SAMBALPUR: A fake Indian-Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) manufacturing unit, operating from a house at Ranikhinda under the Sason police limits in the district was unearthed by the intelligence wing of the Excise department, Sambalpur on Friday. While one Saroj Behera has been arrested in connection with the incident, the main accused Jasbir Singh Kohli is still at large.
According to Excise officials, all the materials including spirit besides other articles for preparing the fake IMFL was being procured by Kohli from Kolkata and Behera used to prepare the duplicate IMFL at his home which was raided by the excise team. Subsequently, the fake product was being supplied to different areas.
Behera has however refuted the claims of being involved in the racket. He said, “I had rented a portion of my home to Singh and he was using it to store the articles. I was not involved in the manufacturing of the liquor. I am being falsely implicated.” The unit was reportedly operational for the last around six months.
During the raid, police also seized 10,452 duplicate caps of liquor bottle, 450 litre of spirit, 30 litre blended spirit, 16.2 litre duplicate foreign liquor, 5 litre caramel, and 135 duplicate Excise labels besides one punching machine for the preparation of the duplicate foreign liquor. The approximate value of the seized articles will be around Rs 4.40 lakh, sources said.
Deputy commissioner, Excise, Northern Division, Rajendra Bhotra said, the input regarding the unit was received by him through a WhatsApp message from an unknown number. Subsequently, two officers were deputed to inquire into it. “After detailed information was received, a special squad was formed comprising officials of the intelligence wing of the Excise department and raid conducted on the house of Saroj Behera, where the unit was operational,” Bhotra said.
A raid was also conducted on Kohli’s house but he managed to escape, the Excise official said adding, “He will be arrested soon.” The Excise department officials will be taking up a drive to check all the IMFL shops in the city soon.
