FIR Quashed in IMFL Case: Gujarat High Court Grants Relief to Accused

Surat | Gujarat — Delivering a significant verdict in a case involving the illicit trafficking of Indian-Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL), the Gujarat High Court has quashed the FIR registered against one of the accused. This FIR was lodged at the Surat Crime Branch Police Station on September 27, 2023, against a total of nine accused individuals.

In connection with the case, the police had seized 2,328 bottles of liquor, estimated to be worth ₹3,63,840. Additionally, a white pickup truck was recovered, valued at approximately ₹5 lakh. Thus, contraband worth a total of ₹8,63,840 was seized. In this very case, the accused, Imran Abdul Hamid Bharuchi, filed a quashing petition in the High Court through his counsel, Advocate Zamir Shaikh, seeking to have the FIR registered against him set aside.

During the hearing, defense counsel Advocate Zamir Shaikh argued that Imran Bharuchi had no direct connection to the seized consignment of liquor, nor was he arrested at the scene of the incident. He was implicated in the case solely on the basis of a statement given by the prime accused.

The counsel further argued before the court that an individual cannot be held as an accused merely on the basis of a statement made by a co-accused, unless there exists concrete and corroborating evidence to support such a claim. Accepting these arguments, the High Court observed that there was insufficient evidence against the accused. Consequently, the court ordered the quashing of the FIR registered against Imran Abdul Hamid Bharuchi. However, the proceedings against the other accused individuals will continue.