SATURDAY, MAY 18, 2024
Team Herald
The interstate liquor smuggling case has reached on the doorsteps of Bhachau Additional court in Gujarat with one of the five accused, hailing from Canacona, Goa, Ligorio Desouza’s anticipatory bail plea being posted on Monday. The court will hear the arguments in connection with the anticipatory bail plea of Ligorio Desouza on Monday.
The Canacona-based businessman has moved for the pre-arrest bail, after Gujarat police unsuccessfully tried to track him in the South Goa on two different occasions. The accused has been found “untraceable” for Gujarat police who had launched a manhunt along with Canacona police. The case was listed on Saturday in Bhachau Additional court, which is now posted for Monday as police want to file additional documents in the matter.
The Gujarat police during their investigation of interstate liquor smuggling under the Gujarat (Bombay) Prohibition Act, 1949 had found the link to Goa from where the consignments were sent. Desouza had filed for the anticipatory bail before the court on October 3. He was also earlier booked by Excise department in July 2010 for manufacturing and storing a huge quantity of liquor in his factory.
A senior police officer from Gujarat said that four accused including Anil Maruti Tarde, Hitendrasinh Jorubha Vaghela, Dipesh Punjabhai Patani and one more person. Ligorio Desouza is the fifth accused in this case. Ligorio has been booked under section 65 (a), 65 (e), 116 (b), 81, 83, 98 (2) of the said Act. An officer has also informed that there are more possible arrests from Goa and some Excise officials are also on radar in illegal smuggling of liquor to the dry State. The porous borders of the State has made Goa a heaven for the liquor smuggling rackets with Karnataka Chief Minister raising concerns on it in the recent past.
Sources in the department claims that the liquor from Goa is illegally supplied to the states including Karnataka, Maharashtra, Andra Pradesh and a dry state like, Gujrat. Herald in past has exposed how the liquor trade has been going unchecked in the coastal state with the Excise department failing to crack down on the mafia.
