AHMEDABAD: In "dry" Gujarat, a ruling BJP leader, along with a police officer, was arrested with a substantial quantity of alcohol.
The BJP leader Jayesh Bhavsar and Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Praveen Kumar Chauhan were arrested by the Chithoda police at Bildia village, Vijayanagar taluka in Sabarkantha district. The police seized 893 bottles of liquor worth Rs 1,96,490 from the suspects.
According to police sources, acting on a tip-off about an XUV vehicle ferrying Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) from Rajasthan to Ahmedabad via Chitaria, a police team set up surveillance at the Chithoda police station. A barricade was also put up. Upon seeing the XUV approaching from the opposite direction, the police intercepted the vehicle and discovered the IMFL bottles hidden near the middle and back seats of the car. The vehicle was driven by Praveen Kumar and Bhavsar was seated beside him. Police also arrested one Prahalad Songara in connection with the incident.
Praveen Kumar is attached to the Shahibagh Police Headquarters in Ahmedabad.
The BJP distanced itself from the case by claiming that Bhavsar was not associated with the party.
According to sources, Jayesh Bhavsar was appointed to the Divisional Rail Users Consultative Committee of Ahmedabad Division from January 1, 2022, to December 31, 2023.
Prior to that Bhavsar served as the president of the BJP's Asarwa Ward in Ahmedabad.
On Saturday, the Gujarat BJP clarified that Jayesh Bhavsar was appointed as president of the Asarwa Ward in 2014 but remained inactive from 2014 to 2016. He was relieved of his duties in 2016 and he was not associated with the party any more.
A police officer said that the liquor was sent by an individual named Bharat from the Pahada area of Rajasthan and was intended for delivery in Ahmedabad.
A surge in cases related to liquor and drug smuggling has been witnessed in the state recently. The involvement of police in such crimes have caused concern among the people.
Lately, a female constable Neeta Chaudhary was caught along with a bootlegger at Bhachau in Kutch District. Though she evaded arrest initially she was later taken into custody by the police.