Cops bust Rajkot bigwigs’ liquor party, 38 booked under Prohibition Act

Rajkot: A birthday party-cum-pre-Diwali bash attended by prominent industrialists, builders, jewellers, financiers and doctors from Rajkot and Morbi ended in a police raid late on Saturday night, with 38 people booked under the Gujarat Prohibition Act for drinking liquor. The gathering, hosted at Saraza Banquet Hall on Kalavad Road, was reportedly organised as an early birthday celebration for a prominent businessman.The Local Crime Branch (LCB), acting on a tip-off, raided the venue around 11 pm on Oct 31. The operation continued until 4 am on Sunday. Guests were subjected to breathalyser tests, while blood samples were collected at the civil hospital to establish whether they had consumed alcohol.Some attendees reportedly attempted to shield their identities from media cameras by covering their faces with tablecloths while being taken for medical tests.DCP Zone-2 Rakesh Desai told TOI that the raid was conducted by a team led by PSI Shaktisinh Chudasama after receiving information about liquor being served openly at the banquet hall.Preliminary investigations revealed that the party was organised by a prominent builder who had reportedly planned an advance birthday celebration combined with a pre-Diwali get-together.As many as 76 people, including family members and spouses, were attending the party. The guest list included prominent builders, industrialists, financiers, jewellers, doctors and people associated with the tours and travels industry from Rajkot and Morbi.Those present included a vitrified tiles businessman who is reportedly related to a politician.Serving staff also under scannerThe investigation also indicated that some members of the banquet hall’s serving staff had allegedly consumed alcohol while serving guests. Three of them, along with the hotel manager, were named in the police complaint.While preliminary breathalyser tests indicated that most male guests had consumed alcohol, women present were initially found not to have done so. However, police collected blood samples from everyone for confirmation. Additional names may be included if laboratory reports establish alcohol consumption, said police.Liquor bottles seizedRajkot taluka police registered a case against 38 people, including the organiser, under Sections 65(A)(A), 66(1)(B), 75A, 83, 86 and 116-B of the Gujarat Prohibition Act. Empty and foreign liquor bottles worth approximately Rs 17,500 were seized from the venue. All 38 accused were served notices and subsequently released. ACP South Division B J Chaudhary said the notice process was completed by 4 pm on Sunday.Banquet hall 850m from police stationAdding another twist to the case, Saraza Banquet Hall is barely 850m from Rajkot taluka police station. The alleged liquor party was thus taking place within a short distance of the police station.Further investigation has been handed over to Malaviyanagar police inspector J M Kaila. Police are probing who procured and supplied the liquor, how it reached the venue and whether the hotel owner had any role in facilitating the gathering.You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Rajkot | Silver Rate in Rajkot | Bank Holidays in Rajkot | Public Holidays in Rajkot | Rajkot AQI | Weather in Rajkot | Petrol Price in Rajkot | Diesel Price in Rajkot | CNG Price in Rajkot | LPG Price in RajkotStay updated with the latest Rajkot news. Download the TOI App.