Excise officials seize liquor bottles of different brands in Mumbai; one held

Mumbai, Apr 1 (PTI) Maharashtra Excise Department seized liquor bottles from a car and a compound in Mumbai and arrested a 35-year-old man, an official said on Monday.

Prima facie, these bottles were transported from Delhi by evading excise duty, he said. The seized liquor bottles are collectively worth more than Rs 15 lakh. "A flying squad of Excise Department officials intercepted a car in Worli village on Sunday and seized liquor bottles of various brands valued at around Rs 1 lakh. As per the information given by car owner Satish Shivlal Patel, a raid was conducted at Lokhandwala compound in Andheri and liquor bottles worth over Rs 14 lakh recovered," the official said, adding that the car, valued at around Rs 25 lakh, was also impounded.

The official said they have not found any evidence so far to suggest if the seized liquor was meant to be distributed in the run-up to Lok Sabha elections. Maharashtra will vote in five phases starting April 19.

"The investigation is on to find out the destination of these bottles and the consignee," he added.

Accused Patel has been arrested under relevant sections of the Maharashtra Prohibition Act, he said. PTI ZA NSK