Taking action against illegal liquor manufacturing, Crime Branch Unit 7 of the Pune Police conducted a raid in the jurisdiction of Wagholi Police Station and busted a country-made liquor operation involving around 8,000 litres, officials said on Friday.
The operation was carried out on February 5 in Bhavdi village near Kanifnath Plotting, close to Tambe Vasti in Wagholi.
The accused have been identified as Prahlad Kadam Rathod (25), a resident of Bhavdi, Haveli taluka, originally from Tekwadi, Purandar taluka, Pune district, and Ankita Ganesh Guddawat (23), a resident of Bhavdi, Haveli taluka.
According to the Crime Branch police, while patrolling in the Wagholi area, police constables Nirnay Lande and Balasaheb Tanpure received a tip-off from an informer about an illegal country liquor distillery operating near Kanifnath Plotting in Bhavdi village. Acting on the information, police conducted a raid at the location. During the raid, the police caught the duo red-handed while preparing illicit liquor.
From the spot, police seized approximately 8,000 litres of raw chemical material used for brewing illicit liquor, stored in pits dug into the ground, valued at ₹2.80 lakh. Additionally, equipment worth ₹15,450, including nine empty plastic cans, two iron lids, and wooden planks, was also seized. The total value of the seized material is estimated at ₹2,95,450.
Based on the seizure, a case has been registered at Wagholi Police Station under Sections 65(f)(b)(c)(e) of the Maharashtra Prohibition Act.
Santosh Sonawane, Senior Police Inspector of Crime Branch Unit 7, speaking to The Free Press Journal, said the duo targeted a secluded place in the area and used empty pits to store country-made liquor. Stored rainwater or well water was used for manufacturing. He added that the accused are habitual offenders, and two cases have already been registered against them at Wagholi and Lonikand police stations.
Further investigation is underway.
