Fake caps, labels: Liquor worth ₹11.55 lakh seized in Pune, Ahilyanagar ahead of Diwali

The Maharashtra Excise Department on Friday busted an alleged counterfeit liquor racket operating in Pune and neighbouring Ahilyanagar districts, and seized liquor stock worth ₹11.55 lakh. Three people were also arrested in connection with the case.

The action comes just days ahead of the festive Diwali season.

It was carried out following a tip-off that counterfeit foreign liquor was being stored at Bangarwadi in Belhe village of Junnar taluka for illegal sale.

A team from the State Excise Department Pune division raided the premises and seized 96 bottles of Royal Stag whisky, allegedly bearing fake caps and labels, along with 5,040 bottles of GM Santra country liquor. The stock recovered from the location was valued at ₹4.27 lakh.

The arrested accused were identified as Sachin Ganpat Gadge (40) and Tahir Yusuf Shaikh (43), both associated with Nimgaon Sawa in Junnar taluka, and Sagar Ramdas Borude (27), a resident of a village in Parner.

During the investigation, the arrested accused allegedly provided information about another stockpile at Alkuti village in Parner taluka of Ahilyanagar district. The excise team subsequently recovered 1,392 bottles of Royal Stag whisky and 1,728 bottles of Imperial Blue whisky, both allegedly carrying counterfeit caps and labels. The second seizure was valued at approximately ₹7.28 lakh.

The total value of the seized liquor from both locations stands at ₹11.55 lakh.

A case has been registered against the three under the Maharashtra Prohibition Act, 1949. Further investigation is underway to ascertain the source of the counterfeit liquor, its intended distribution network and whether more people were involved in the racket.