Illicit hooch racket busted, 10 arrested

Reported by Santosh Jagdev

Bhubaneswar, Sep 27:
Following a joint raid by Nayapalli police and Excise sleuth at Saliasahi slum here late on Thursday night, ten persons including three women involved in illegal sale of liquor in the city were arrested and forwarded to court on Friday, police said.

The accused have been identified as Mangala Mohanta, Lalung Murmu, Dharma Dungdung, Gita Soren and Bruduni Murmu of Idcosahi, Harish Soren, Manas Baske, Bijay Murmu and Dola Hansda of Nilachakranagar Sahi and Soreng Marandi of Ekamravilla Sahi, all colonies under Saliasahi under Nayapalli police limits.

Officer in charge of Excise department Samuel Ekka said, “Acting on a tip-off, police officials of Nayapalli along with our team conducted a joint raid in Saliasahi area late night on Thursday. The persons who were arrested from different locations of the slum were involved in the brewing and sale of illegal country made liquor in the city since many days.”

“We have seized 560 kg ‘pocha’, the raw material used for preparation of hooch and around 50 litres of country made alcohol from their possession which is worth lakhs of rupees,” Ekka added.

A case has been registered against the accused under section 47A and 52A of Bihar and Odisha Excise Act and under 272, 273 of IPC.