Ahmedabad Police arrest 13 under PASA in 2-day crackdown on bootleggers
Synopsis
Ahmedabad Police invoked PASA to detain 13 people in 48 hours — 5 bootleggers and 8 flagged as 'dangerous' — dispersing them to jails across Gujarat. The sweep, ordered by Police Commissioner Anupam Singh Gahlaut, signals an intensification of late-night combing operations targeting liquor trafficking, theft, and violent offenders across the city.
Key Takeaways
Ahmedabad City Police detained 13 individuals under PASA within 48 hours and sent them to jails across Gujarat .
Five detainees are classified as bootleggers; eight are listed as 'dangerous' persons in police records.
Bootlegging cases involve alleged illegal possession, transportation, and sale of liquor without valid permits.
Notable detainees include Himanshu alias Rocky Panchal , accused of impersonating a police sub-inspector to commit cheating.
The action was ordered by Police Commissioner Anupam Singh Gahlaut as part of ongoing citywide combing and vehicle-checking operations.
Police warned that 'strict action under PASA' will continue against those threatening public order in Ahmedabad .
Ahmedabad City Police detained 13 individuals under the Prevention of Anti-Social Activities Act (PASA) within a 48-hour window and dispatched them to various jails across Gujarat, targeting alleged bootlegging, theft, assault, and cheating, officials confirmed on Wednesday, 12 August. The sweep was carried out on the directive of Police Commissioner Anupam Singh Gahlaut, who ordered sustained combing and vehicle-checking operations citywide.
Breakdown of the Detainees
Of the 13 held, five have been classified as bootleggers and eight as 'dangerous' persons in police records. The bootlegging cases relate to the alleged illegal possession, transportation, and sale of country-made liquor or Indian-made foreign liquor and beer without the required pass or permit, according to officials.
The Prevention of Crime Branch issued a statement on Tuesday night confirming that PASA proceedings had been initiated against individuals whose activities were deemed detrimental to public order.
Who Was Detained and Why
Among those categorised as dangerous, Rajjan Nai faces accusations in motorcycle theft and chain-snatching cases. Pankaj Solanki is named in three cases involving assaults, threats, weapons use, and property damage. Babubhai Machhar is accused of breaking into a warehouse and a shop and stealing copper scrap, wires, brass, pipes, and cutting equipment.
Vishnuprasad Pandit alias Bangali Arjunprasad Ravibhai was detained for allegedly breaking shop shutters and stealing cash from drawers. Bharat Vanzara faces charges in two cases involving assaults, serious injuries, house trespass, property damage, threats, and use of a knife. Himanshu alias Rocky Panchal is accused of falsely claiming to be a police sub-inspector, gaining a complainant's confidence, and obtaining cash through cheating.
The remaining five bootlegging cases involve Ramesh Khileri, Ganpatbhai Talpada, Rohit Kalal, Jagmalram Beniwal, Tej Singh alias Talo Vakilsingh Dabhi, Vinod alias Bhau Sonar, and Nileshkumar Parmar, all allegedly involved in transporting, handling, or selling liquor without valid permits.
The Larger Operation
The arrests are part of ongoing late-night combing operations being conducted across multiple parts of Ahmedabad. These operations include vehicle checks, action against history-sheeters, and efforts to curb the distribution of liquor and narcotics. This is not an isolated action — Ahmedabad police have periodically invoked PASA to detain individuals whose presence is considered a threat to public order, a preventive measure that bypasses conventional bail provisions for a fixed period.
What the Police Said
Officials stated that 'strict action under PASA' would continue against anyone whose activities could obstruct the maintenance of law and order in Ahmedabad. The police commissioner's directive underscores a proactive posture, signalling that such operations are set to continue rather than taper off in the near term.
Point of View
Bypassing the courts at the initial stage. Its repeated invocation in Ahmedabad against bootleggers alongside violent offenders raises a question of proportionality: lumping liquor sellers with alleged knife-wielders under the same preventive detention law conflates public order with moral policing in a prohibition state. Gujarat's liquor ban has historically created a grey economy that policing alone cannot dismantle. Until that structural tension is addressed, PASA sweeps will remain a recurring headline rather than a durable solution.
NationPress
12 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is PASA and why was it invoked in Ahmedabad?
PASA, or the Prevention of Anti-Social Activities Act, is a preventive detention law that allows police to detain individuals considered a threat to public order without conventional bail for a fixed period. Ahmedabad Police invoked it against 13 individuals — including bootleggers and persons accused of theft, assault, and cheating — as part of a citywide crackdown ordered by Police Commissioner Anupam Singh Gahlaut.
How many people were arrested and what were they accused of?
A total of 13 people were detained under PASA within 48 hours. Five were classified as bootleggers accused of illegally possessing, transporting, or selling liquor without permits; eight were categorised as 'dangerous' persons facing charges ranging from motorcycle theft and chain-snatching to assault, house trespass, and impersonation of a police officer.
Where have the detainees been sent?
The 13 individuals have been dispatched to different jails across Gujarat following their detention under PASA, as confirmed by officials on 12 August.
What is the scope of the ongoing Ahmedabad police operations?
The operations include late-night combing drives across various parts of Ahmedabad, vehicle checks, action against history-sheeters, and efforts to curb liquor and narcotics distribution. Police Commissioner Anupam Singh Gahlaut has directed that these operations continue to maintain law and order across the city.
Will more arrests follow under PASA in Ahmedabad?
Yes, according to officials. Police have stated that 'strict action under PASA' will be taken against anyone whose activities could obstruct the maintenance of law and order in Ahmedabad, indicating the crackdown is ongoing rather than a one-time exercise.
