Gujarat: Ahmedabad Tops In Illegal Liquor Cases Despite 1948 Prohibition; SMC Conducts 180 Successful Raids In 2024

Gandhinagar: Gujarat has, on paper, prohibited liquor since 1948–out of respect for Mahatma Gandhi’s views on Alcohol. Interestingly, Ahmedabad, where Mahatma Gandhi lived with Kasturba at the Gandhi Ashram, has the highest number of illegal liquor cases among the four commissionerates of Gujarat police.

In the first half of 2024, out of the total 35 prohibition cases registered by the State Monitoring Cell (DGP office) under the limits of four police commissionerates in Gujarat, Ahmedabad topped with the highest 17 cases of liquor cases.

According to the data available from SMC, Ahmedabad registered 17 liquor cases followed by 13 in Surat, 5 in Vadodara and zero cases in Rajkot in the first half of 2024.

Ahmedabad has retained the top position in liquor cases since 2023. In 2023, SMC had registered a total of 83 liquor cases in four commissionerates in Gujarat, out of which 37 were registered during the successful raids in the Ahmedabad police commissionerate jurisdiction.

Notably, the Ahmedabad Police Commissionerate has been in the news for some time due to its activities and incidents. The recent junior level transfers, the award-posting theory, the bust of an international sex racket by CID Crime, etc. have always kept the Ahmedabad Police Commissionerate in the Gujarat Police Department in the limelight.

180 successful raids by SMC in the first half of 2024

The state monitoring cell conducted a total of 224 raids between January and June in the first half of 2024, out of which180 successful raids were conducted in all the districts and cities of Gujarat. In all operations, about Rs.11.5 crore worth of liquor was seized and about Rs.26 crore worth of illegal goods was seized. SMC conducted 33 raids in January 2024, 37 raids in February, 43 in March, 17 in April, 18 in May and 32 successful raids in June.

In 2021, SMC had registered a total of 148 successful raids from January to December. A total of Rs.13.64 crore worth of liquor and Rs 6.90 crore worth of illegal goods were seized. However, the SMC has doubled the number of successful raids in 2024. SMC's DIG Vigilance Nirlipta Rai said, "We have increased enforcement. No other major changes have been made."