Gujarat : Railway Employee, two others nabbed for running fake Royal Stag Manufacturing unit in Bhavnagar

BHAVNAGAR :  Less than a month after a spurious liquor tragedy claimed 14 lives in Bhavnagar, bootleggers appear to have learned little. Police have now busted an illicit unit allegedly manufacturing counterfeit ‘Royal Stag’ liquor from a government quarter in the Railway Colony at Bhavnagar Para, exposing a dangerous network that sourced chemicals and raw materials from outside Gujarat.

In a joint operation, the Local Crime Branch (LCB) and Bortalao police arrested railway employee Akshayrajsinh Gohil, Vijay alias Mayank Makwana and Jitendra Khavadiya from Quarter No. 70-A, where the liquor was allegedly being manufactured and bottles sealed with fake brand labels.

Police seized 17 small bottles of counterfeit liquor, stickers, jerrycans and other materials used in the alleged manufacturing process.

City DYSP R.R. Singhal said the accused were mixing chemicals brought from outside to prepare foreign-style liquor.

“A carboy was recovered from the spot. Chemicals were being brought from outside and mixed here to manufacture foreign-style liquor. Seventeen quarters have been seized and samples will be sent to Gandhinagar for analysis,” Singhal said.

The investigation has revealed a Rajasthan-Morbi-Bhavnagar link. During interrogation, Gohil reportedly told police that he came in contact with Arjunsinh Sodha and Suryapratapsingh Rathod of Beawar, Rajasthan, through his brother-in-law Ramdevsinh Jhala of Morbi.

Police said raw materials were allegedly sent from Rajasthan through parcels, while Suryapratapsingh travelled to Bhavnagar to manufacture and bottle the liquor. Vijay allegedly supplied the finished bottles to local bootleggers, including Shaktisinh of Khatdi, Bhavesh Solanki and Sharad Limba Chavda.

Jitendra allegedly supervised production and handled the equipment and materials.

Seven suspects remain absconding, with 10 people from Rajasthan, Morbi and Bhavnagar allegedly linked to the case. Police are probing how long the unit operated and how much counterfeit liquor reached the market.

The three arrested accused were produced before court. Police sought 10 days’ remand, but the court granted five days, till September 18.