Gujarat Police seize ₹25.26 lakh illegal liquor in Gandhinagar; Rajasthan link probed
Synopsis
A Gujarat Police SMC raid on Lavarpur village in Gandhinagar has netted ₹25.26 lakh in illegal IMFL and assets — and exposed a possible Rajasthan connection, with four of the six accused hailing from Kherwara. The pattern of back-to-back SMC strikes across Gandhinagar and Surendranagar suggests Gujarat's prohibition machinery is targeting an organised interstate supply chain, not isolated bootleggers.
Key Takeaways
Gujarat Police SMC raided Lavarpur village, Gandhinagar on 29 June , seizing property worth ₹25,26,715 .
3,127 bottles of IMFL valued at ₹14,19,265 were recovered along with two vehicles, two phones, and ₹46,950 in cash.
Two accused — Rajan Patel and Ajit Thakor — were arrested; four others from Kherwara, Rajasthan remain absconding.
A separate SMC raid in Surendranagar recovered 21,574 bottles of IMFL worth ₹63,09,300 .
The Local Crime Branch also seized over 5,200 litres of illegal liquor in Gandhinagar's Dabhoda limits in a concurrent operation.
Gujarat Police's State Monitoring Cell (SMC) raided Lavarpur village in Gandhinagar district on Monday, 29 June, seizing Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL), vehicles, mobile phones, and cash collectively valued at ₹25.26 lakh. Two men were arrested, while four accused — all reportedly from Rajasthan — remain at large, pointing to a possible interstate supply chain.
What Was Seized
Officers recovered 3,127 bottles of IMFL valued at ₹14,19,265 during the operation. Two vehicles were confiscated — a car worth ₹10 lakh and a two-wheeler valued at ₹50,000. Additionally, two mobile phones worth ₹10,500 and cash of ₹46,950, allegedly proceeds from liquor sales, were also recovered. The total estimated value of seized property stands at ₹25,26,715.
Accused Arrested and Absconding
The two arrested individuals — Rajan Patel of Magodi village, Gandhinagar, and Ajit Thakor of Thakorvas in Lavarpur — were handed over to Dabhoda Police Station. Four others remain absconding: Manoj Thakor of Lavarpur, and Kailash Adivasi, Jivab Bangu, and Mukesh Devasi, all stated to be residents of Kherwara, Rajasthan. Investigators said efforts are underway to trace and apprehend them.
Legal Provisions Invoked
The raid was conducted under multiple provisions of the Gujarat Prohibition Act — Sections 65(A)(E), 81, 83, 98(2), and 116(B) — along with Sections 111(2)(b), 111(3), and 111(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. The breadth of charges signals that investigators are pursuing not just possession but distribution and financing angles.
Pattern of Enforcement Across Gujarat
This raid is part of a sustained crackdown by the SMC across the state. In a separate operation in Surendranagar district, the SMC intercepted a truck trailer at the Hotel Nagaraj compound in Dhedhuki village, Sayla taluka, recovering 21,574 bottles and cans of IMFL valued at ₹63,09,300 and arresting a truck driver. In another case in Gandhinagar, the Local Crime Branch seized over 5,200 litres of illegal liquor in the Dabhoda police station limits. A further raid in Gandhinagar yielded IMFL worth over ₹16 lakh along with a vehicle, with multiple accused still wanted. Taken together, these operations suggest a well-organised supply network funnelling liquor into Gujarat's dry districts from neighbouring states.
Point of View
And a series of large SMC hauls in quick succession points to a supply chain, not opportunistic bootlegging. The real accountability question is whether inter-state coordination between Gujarat and Rajasthan Police is robust enough to dismantle the network at source, rather than repeatedly intercepting its end-point deliveries.
NationPress
29 Jun 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did the Gujarat Police seize in the Gandhinagar liquor raid?
Gujarat Police's State Monitoring Cell seized 3,127 bottles of IMFL, two vehicles, two mobile phones, and cash totalling ₹25,26,715 during a raid in Lavarpur village, Gandhinagar on 29 June. The IMFL alone was valued at ₹14,19,265.
Who were arrested in the Lavarpur liquor raid?
Two men were arrested — Rajan Patel of Magodi village, Gandhinagar, and Ajit Thakor of Thakorvas, Lavarpur — and handed over to Dabhoda Police Station. Four other accused remain absconding.
Why is there an interstate angle in this case?
Four of the six accused — Manoj Thakor, Kailash Adivasi, Jivab Bangu, and Mukesh Devasi — are stated to be residents of Kherwara in Rajasthan, suggesting the liquor may have been sourced from or routed through the neighbouring state. Investigators are actively pursuing them.
What legal provisions were used in the raid?
The raid was conducted under Sections 65(A)(E), 81, 83, 98(2), and 116(B) of the Gujarat Prohibition Act, along with Sections 111(2)(b), 111(3), and 111(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
Are there other recent liquor seizures by Gujarat Police?
Yes. The SMC recently recovered 21,574 bottles of IMFL worth ₹63,09,300 in Surendranagar district, and the Local Crime Branch seized over 5,200 litres of illegal liquor in Gandhinagar's Dabhoda limits. A further Gandhinagar raid netted IMFL worth over ₹16 lakh, indicating sustained enforcement activity across the region.
