How ‘The Theka’ ran an alleged ₹10 crore liquor racket, illegally sold 1 lakh bottles in Gurugram: ED probes money trail

The ED has uncovered an alleged Gurugram liquor syndicate that illegally sold over one lakh imported bottles, generating more than ₹10 crore in proceeds. Searches across 10 locations led to the seizure of ₹11 lakh, documents and digital records.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has uncovered an alleged liquor syndicate in Gurugram that illegally sold more than one lakh bottles of imported foreign liquor, generating proceeds of crime exceeding ₹10 crore, PTI reported on Thursday, citing officials.

The agency conducted searches at 10 locations across Delhi-NCR, Haryana and Punjab on November 3 and 4 as part of a money-laundering investigation linked to 'The Theka', a licensed liquor outlet in Gurugram reportedly owned by Ankush Goyal and his partners, the report said.

During the two-day operation, ED officials reportedly seized ₹11 lakh in cash, besides documents and digital records containing details of liquor purchases and sales.

According to the agency, the alleged syndicate procured more than one lakh bottles of imported foreign liquor between June and November 2025 and sold them illegally without paying applicable taxes and duties.

How did the alleged liquor syndicate operate?

The ED investigation found that the liquor was imported into India through government-recognised companies but was subsequently diverted using the bond-to-bond transfer mechanism.

Under this system, liquor can be transferred between states without the payment of customs and excise duties at the time of transfer.

The syndicate allegedly established separate companies in Haryana and Goa or Maharashtra and obtained the necessary customs licences and documentation to facilitate these transactions, as per the report.

After making payments to foreign liquor suppliers through banking channels, the imported stock was transferred to bonded warehouses in Haryana, the agency said.

However, the investigation reportedly found that the liquor was subsequently sold through 'The Theka' without the required holograms and track-and-trace strips, allegedly bypassing applicable customs duty, VAT, other taxes and permit fees.

The agency told PTI the syndicate devised the arrangement after obtaining a liquor licence for the 2025-2027 period, with the alleged objective of increasing profits through the procurement and sale of imported liquor outside the prescribed regulatory framework.

What triggered the ED investigation?

The money-laundering probe stems from an FIR registered following a complaint by excise officials.

On December 9, 2025, authorities had recovered 3,921 cases and 176 loose bottles of imported foreign liquor without holograms and mandatory track-and-trace strips from 'The Theka' in Gurugram.

Separately, Haryana Police registered another FIR against certain members of the alleged liquor syndicate over their suspected involvement in the sale of spurious liquor.

The ED subsequently initiated its investigation into the suspected generation and laundering of proceeds from the illegal liquor trade.

How much money did the syndicate allegedly make?

According to the ED, the imported liquor was sold through liquor outlets by passing it off as legitimate stock.

The syndicate allegedly earned profit margins of 20-25% on these sales and generated proceeds of crime exceeding ₹10 crore.

The agency emphasised that its latest searches were aimed at gathering further evidence of the alleged financial transactions and the network involved in the operation.

The ED said further investigation into the case is underway.

With inputs from PTI.

About the Author

Bhanu Pratap is a journalist who reports and writes on foreign affairs, India’s foreign policy, geopolitics and strategic affairs. He closely follows diplomatic developments in New Delhi and has a keen interest in defence and national security.<br> <br> Bhanu also focuses on in-depth, interview-based reports and regularly speaking with experts and policymakers to bring perspectives and context to major developments around the world.<br> <br> He is also interested in stories with strong humanitarian angles.<br><br> One such report examined the cases of Indian nationals who were allegedly recruited and forced into Russia’s war against Ukraine. While reporting the story, Bhanu spoke to the families of those affected and documented their experiences. The report was later taken into account by the United Nations in its findings on human rights violations linked to the war in Ukraine.<br> <br> For Bhanu, the zeal to produce meaningful and impactful journalism remains at the heart of his work.<br> <br>He has previously worked with Firstpost, NDTV, Newslaundry and Republic.<br><br> Bhanu studied at the Delhi School of Journalism, University of Delhi. He initially chose science with plans to pursue engineering, influenced by conventional expectations, but fate had other plans and eventually led him to journalism.<br><br> Beyond the newsroom, Bhanu enjoys exploring culture and history and often spends his days off on heritage walks. He is also passionate about travelling, biking and listening to folk music.<br> <br>For tips, reviews and suggestions, you can reach him at bhanu.pratap@htdigital.in.