Gujarat Police raid booze party, nab ex-IPL chief Amin, among others

We have recovered 103 bottles of Indian made foreign liquor (IMFL) and 113 of beer worth Rs 1,28,950 from the spot.

Vadodara, Dec 23 A high-profile booze party at a farmhous outside this Gujarat city was busted late on Thursday and over 250 top figures, including former chairman of Indian Premier League (IPL) and leading industrialist Chirayu Amin, booked, police said.

"We have recovered 103 bottles of Indian made foreign liquor (IMFL) and 113 of beer worth Rs 1,28,950 from the spot. Many men and women appeared inebriated and so were taken to a hospital to collect their blood samples to verify presence of alcohol in their body," Vadodara Superintendent of Police Saurabh Tolambiya told reporters here on Friday.

"We have now filed two FIRs, a non-bailable one against the farmhouse owner and his son under sections of the new Prohibition law, which has provision of 10 years' jail term for keeping and distributing liquor. Another FIR under sections related to consumption of liquor has also been filed against 127 men and 134 women, including two British citizens," he said.

According to the new provisions of prohibition law in the "dry" state, consuming liquor is now punishable with up to three years in jail.

Police also seized 90 vehicles worth over Rs 18 crore from the venue of the party, which was held to celebrate the forthcoming marriage of farmhouse owner Jeetendra Shah's grand daughter. Shah and his son Abhay are now being interrogated and will be produced in a court for remand, Tolambiya said.

All the men arrested at night were given bail on personal bond, while the women present at the party were not arrested and were bailed out immediately. The blood samples too have been sent to Forensic Science Laboratory in Gandhinagar for further tests.

Later, addressing media in state capital Gandhinagar on Friday, Minister of State for Home Pradeepsinh Jadeja said the state is "serious" about strictly implementing prohibition.

"I congratulate police for carrying out successful raid at the party and work towards strict implementation of prohibition law.

"Those present at the party may be big names in economic world but police will not come under any pressure whilst acting against those found guilty of violating prohibition law," he said.

Jadeda also sought to warn organisers of parties in club houses or farm houses in the forthcoming festive season of Christmas and New Year eve to desist from serving liquor.

Opposition Congress, meanwhile, hit back at the ruling party saying that the entire episode was nothing but an eyewash. "The BJP has been ruling the state for over two-and-half decades now and despite prohibition, how can people so easily find liquor to hold parties," asked Congress spokesperson Manish Doshi.

IANS