Gang selling insured liquor illegally busted, 5 arrested

RAMPUR: Rampur police on Tuesday claimed to have busted a gang allegedly involved in selling insured liquor illegally in the market and would claim the insurance money by producing forged papers showing the liquor consignments that they had sold were either destroyed or stolen.

Police said they arrested five accused, including kingpins Sanjeev Gupta and Rahul Kumar Sharma, adding that Sharma tried to flee after firing at police but was caught. Police said they seized arms and mobile phones and impounded an SUV from Sharma and his associates.

On Sunday, Rampur police had seized a consignment of 1,000 cartons of liquor worth Rs 32 lakh that was being sold illegally and launched a manhunt for the accused.

Police said the gang used to sell insured liquor in the market illegally. They would later claim that the sold liquor consignment was lost or damaged in an accident and claim the insurance money, said police.

Divulging details, Rampur SP Shogun Gautam said, “During interrogation, Sharma disclosed that he used to work as a manager with a transport company, which had a contract to transport and deliver liquor consignments made by Rampur Distillery. The gang used to sell insured liquor illegally in the market and then they would claim the insurance money from the insurance company showing the liquor consignment was damaged in an accident or stolen. They would prepare forged documents to claim money from the insurance company.”

Rampur Distillery managing director KP Singh, meanwhile, said, “The responsibility lies with the transport company and not with the distillery. As far as the insurance claim is concerned, one needs to lodge an FIR into the matter, and then investigations are carried out by police and officials of the insurance company.”

Police said they booked Rahul Kumar, Sanjeev Gupta, Rajeev Kumar, Mohan Lal and Aman Bhatiya under sections 307 (attempt to murder) 420 (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property), 467 (forgery of valuable security, will), 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating), 471 (using as genuine a forged document), 407 (criminal breach of trust by carrier) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and appropriate sections of the Uttar Pradesh Excise Act and the Arms Act.

Source: The Times of India