₹1 Crore Illicit Liquor Seized In Indore In 48 Hours; Latest Bust Yields 500 Boxes Worth ₹45 Lakh

Indore (Madhya Pradesh): The State Excise Department on Saturday seized 500 boxes of illicit liquor valued at Rs 45 lakh from a stationary mini truck in the Palda Industrial Area.

This marks the district's second major bootlegging crackdown within 48 hours.

Acting on a tip-off under the directives of Collector Shivam Verma and Deputy Controller Manoj Agrawal, an excise team targeted a suspicious vehicle parked on the road linking Panchmukhi Hanuman Temple to the RTO in Dev Nagar.

A thorough search uncovered the massive haul of Pariis Rose Premium Whisky packed in 180ml bottles.

Assistant District Excise Officer (ADEO) Kamlesh Solanki stated that investigators suspect the consignment was bound for dry-state Gujarat, though the exact final destination is still being verified.

A manhunt is underway to arrest the absconding driver. Officials expect his interrogation to reveal critical details about the manufacturing source, the transport network, and the masterminds behind the syndicate.

This seizure follows a separate high-value operation late Thursday night, where excise teams intercepted a container truck on the Bypass Road and recovered illicit liquor worth Rs 55 lakh.

BCom graduate arrested for supplying mule bank account

A BCom graduate was arrested for allegedly providing his bank account and SIM card for use in an organised multi-state cyber fraud network, police said on Saturday.

The suspect has been identified as Lucky Parmar, a resident of the Tilak Nagar area of the city.

Additional DCP (crime) Rajesh Dandotiya said that the action was taken under Operation Matrix after the crime branch officials investigated a bank account at a private-sector bank's New Palasia branch in the city.

The account had reportedly been linked to several cybercrime complaints registered in different states, including West Bengal, Jharkhand, Assam, Bihar, Delhi, Goa, Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.

Police said Parmar allegedly allowed his bank account to be used as a mule account to receive or transfer money connected with cyber fraud. He also allegedly provided a SIM card registered in his name, on which he received bank OTPs.

The investigation was carried out based on information received from the State Cyber Police Headquarters, the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal, and the Cyber Crime Portal.

Police said the account was suspected to have been used in organised financial fraud affecting victims in several states.

Police said that Parmar works for a gaming zone company at Phoenix Mall and is a BCom graduate. Police have seized details related to the bank mule account, the linked mobile phone and the electronic SIM used with it.

Police have registered a case under Sections 318(4) and 3(5) of the BNS, and they are questioning the suspect about other people involved in the crime as they investigate the wider interstate cyber fraud network.