Team Herald
Panjim: A Gujarat Police team swooped in on liquor store owner Saiesh Sawant from Mapusa late on Wednesday and arrested him in connection with a bootlegging case, leading to howls of protest from the Goa Liquor Traders Association, which has called the action an overreach and demanded protection from the State government.
Authorities in Gujarat claim Sawant supplied liquor to an accused who was later apprehended for illegally transporting alcohol into the dry state, where prohibition laws are strictly enforced.
However, Dattaprasad Naik, President of Goa Liquor Traders Association, claimed that a customer had bought liquor from Ramesh Wines, a store owned by Sawant, and had transported it to Gujarat, where he was caught by the police. “It is not our lookout where a customer takes liquor bottles purchased in Goa. We have not facilitated the transport. We only sell liquor bottles by adhering to the Goa Excise Act,” Naik added.
The association also alleged that the arrest was carried out without a transit warrant or coordination with local authorities. “This is a clear violation of the Goa Excise Act,” said Naik. “As per the law, no excise official or police from another state can enter licensed premises in Goa without
being accompanied by a local excise officer. That protocol was completely
ignored.”
Naik emphasised that Goan traders cannot be held accountable for where customers take liquor after purchase. “We sell liquor in full compliance with the Goa Excise Act. We do not facilitate or encourage transport of alcohol across state borders,” he said.
The incident has sparked broader concerns among liquor vendors in Goa, who say this is not an isolated case. Naik recalled a similar attempt in November last year, when police from Dodamarg, Maharashtra tried to detain another Mapusa trader, Dinesh Kenaudekar, after seizing liquor being taken into Maharashtra during election season.
“We had to intervene and demand a warrant,” Naik said, accusing out-of-state police of unfairly targeting local traders based solely on bootleggers’ statements.
Following the latest incident, a delegation from the association met with Chief Minister Pramod Sawant. North Goa Superintendent of Police, Akshat Kaushal (IPS), subsequently contacted his Gujarat counterpart and briefed the delegation. According to Naik, Gujarat Police acted after arresting a known bootlegger who was allegedly involved in multiple cases.
In a show of solidarity, a team from the association has travelled to Gujarat to offer legal support to Sawant. SP Kaushal has reportedly assured the traders that a circular will be issued to all states, requiring them to notify the Goa Excise Department and police before initiating any such actions within the state.