Five major prohibition cases registered in Ahmedabad city and Gandhinagar over the past two months have revealed a striking pattern. While police recovered liquor worth more than Rs 13.8 lakh from vehicles and other locations, none of the alleged bootleggers were arrested.
The FIRs filed between May and July show that every case ended in a similar manner. According to police, the accused either fled after abandoning their vehicles, escaped through nearby bushes, or disappeared before officers could reach them. Whether it was a high-speed chase or a vehicle found parked with liquor inside, every operation resulted in a seizure—but no arrest.
Similar Stories in Every FIR
The explanations given in the FIRs are almost identical. In cases involving moving vehicles, police said they chased speeding SUVs carrying liquor. The drivers allegedly abandoned the vehicles and escaped on foot before officers could catch them.
In cases involving parked vehicles, police said they acted on specific tip-offs and found vehicles loaded with liquor. However, by the time they reached the spot, no occupants were found. Police reports repeatedly mention darkness, nearby bushes, heavy rain or poor visibility as the reasons the accused managed to flee.
May 4: SUV Abandoned Near Canal During Police Chase
One of the biggest seizures took place near Ranasan village in Gandhinagar district on May 4. According to the FIR, the State Monitoring Cell (SMC) was chasing a Hyundai Creta when the driver abandoned the vehicle near a canal and escaped through nearby bushes under the cover of darkness.
Police recovered more than 2,600 bottles of liquor from the SUV.
May 5: Driver Flees Near Vaishnodevi Circle
The very next day, Adalaj Police claimed an SUV driver ignored repeated signals to stop and continued speeding.
According to the FIR, the driver abandoned the vehicle with its engine still running near Vaishnodevi Circle before escaping on foot. Police recovered liquor from the vehicle but failed to catch the accused.
July 2: Suspect Escapes Before Railway Police Can Arrest Him
On July 2, officers from Sabarmati Railway Police conducted a raid near Khodiyar Railway Station after receiving information about a man allegedly selling country liquor. Police said the suspect spotted them and fled before he could be arrested.
July 5: Liquor-Laden SUV Crashes, Occupants Escape
Another case was reported on July 5 when Santej Police chased a Kia Seltos allegedly carrying liquor near Thol.
Police said the SUV crashed into a road divider during the chase. Its two occupants then escaped through nearby bushes, taking advantage of heavy rain and darkness before officers could catch them.
July 5: Locked Car Loaded With Liquor Found in Thaltej
Later the same day, Vastrapur Police recovered a locked Hyundai i10 parked near the bus stand in Thaltej. The car did not have number plates and was loaded with liquor. No occupants were found at the scene, and police registered an FIR against the vehicle owner. Not a Single Arrest in Any of the Five Cases
Across all five cases, police recovered liquor worth more than Rs 13.8 lakh. However, every FIR recorded that the accused escaped before they could be arrested.
Police said investigations are continuing to identify the vehicle owners, trace the liquor supply network and find those responsible for transporting the liquor.
Police Say Arrests Can Be Made Later
A senior police officer said that such liquor seizures are considered “quality detections” because they contribute to the department’s detection record.
The officer added that although the accused escaped during the raids, they can still be arrested later using vehicle registration details, technical evidence and other information collected during the investigation.
While investigations are still underway, the repeated pattern seen across all five cases with suspects escaping in similar circumstances despite major liquor seizures has drawn attention to how prohibition cases are being handled.
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