Guj police raids BJP leader’s liquor party, 41 held including a minor

Valsad (Gujarat), July 4 (IANS) The Crime Branch team of Valsad Police on Sunday night raided a BJP leader’s liquor party and arrested 41 persons including a minor. All have undergone medical examination and investigation is going on.

According to police sources, the crime branch team had received specific information about liquor party being thrown in a farmhouse in Karanjveri village of Dharampur Taluka of Valsad district.

Police seized 25 Indian made foreign liquor bottles worth Rs 15,000 and goods to manufacture country liquor valued at Rs 64,000. Along with vehicles a total Rs 36 lakh worth muddamal was seized. The case is being investigated by Police Inspector D.M. Dhol.

Those arrested include Vinod Patel, Sarpanch of Nanakvada village, deputy sarpanch of the village and others associated with the ruling party.

“Not only Vinod Patel, but more than one lakh party workers were there in Valsad assembly constituency. I know Vinod personally, but don’t know about other persons arrested by the police. I have no idea about booze party,” said Bharat Patel, BJP sitting MLA from Valsad assembly constituency.

Police raided the party in the Dharampur assembly constituency area. Dharampur’s BJP MLA Arvind Patel proudly said, “Such parties are not new, only those arrested are called culprits. I don’t rule out the possibility of settling political scores — within the party or outside. Vinod Patel’s political opponent must have tipped of Valsad police about the liquor party.”

Sources from the party said all those arrested are close to Valsad MLA Bharat Patel. If his close confidants are arrested drinking liquor in the state, his image will be tarnished, someone within the party is trying to clip Patel’s wings, who wishes to contest assembly election for the third consecutive term.

Gujarat is a dry state and has a law in force that proscribes the manufacture, storage, sale and consumption of alcoholic beverages.

–IANS

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