124 Liquor Bottles Seized in Deoghar Raid, One Arrested for Illegal Sale

Police have arrested a man for allegedly running an illegal liquor-selling operation from a grocery shop in the Baramsia area under Deoghar Nagar police station.

The accused has been identified as Nandu Mahtha, a resident of Baramsia. Police said 124 bottles of liquor were recovered from his house during a raid conducted after receiving information about the alleged illegal sale.

According to SDPO Kuldeep Kumar, Superintendent of Police Praveen Pushkar received information on August 18 that liquor was allegedly being sold secretly from a grocery shop located near a government-authorised liquor outlet in Baramsia.

A police team reached the location to verify the information. Police said a man attempted to flee after noticing the team but was caught with the assistance of armed personnel. During questioning, he identified himself as Nandu Mahtha.

Police allege that Mahtha admitted to purchasing liquor from the authorised outlet, storing it at his residence and then taking small quantities to the grocery shop for sale.

124 bottles recovered

A subsequent search of the accused's house led to the recovery of 124 bottles of liquor of different brands and sizes.

The seized stock included 10 bottles of Sterling Reserve B7 in 180 ml packs and 11 bottles in 375 ml packs. Police also recovered 15 bottles of Royal Challenge in 375 ml packs and 17 bottles in 180 ml packs.

In addition, 12 bottles of Royal Stage in 375 ml packs and 10 bottles in 180 ml packs were seized. The remaining stock comprised 44 bottles of Iconiq White in 180 ml packs and 15 bottles of Godfather Beer in 500 ml packs.

Police said the seizure indicates that the accused was allegedly maintaining a separate stock for unauthorised retail sales instead of selling liquor through the legally permitted channel.

Case registered under BNS and Excise Act

A case has been registered at Deoghar Nagar police station as Case No. 320/2026, dated August 18, under Sections 274 and 275 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Section 47(A) of the Jharkhand Excise Act.

Police have arrested the accused and launched further investigation to establish the full extent of the alleged illegal liquor trade.

The raid was conducted by a team led by Nagar police station in-charge Ravi Thakur. Police sub-inspectors Ghanshyam Ganjhu, Sumant Prasad, Shankar Kumar Rajak and Mukesh Kumar Tiwari, along with armed personnel of the Nagar police station, were part of the operation.