Mumbai: Hotel staffers held for procuring spurious liquor in Andheri

Besides the fake alcohol, the Excise Department has also seized a car and mobile phones worth Rs 6,02,685. File pic

The Excise Department's flying squad arrested four people including the head manager and kitchen manager of a 4-star hotel on Saturday for procuring spurious foreign liquor. The arrested staffers belong to Hotel Peninsula Grand, located at Sakinaka, Andheri. According to Department officials, liquor worth Rs 1.47 lakh has been seized from the accused, they intended to use it during parties at the hotel.

Tip-off received

On June 10, sleuths of the Excise Department got information that a few people would be coming to Hiranandani Garden, MHADA Colony, Powai, to buy spurious foreign liquor. Department officials waited for a grey car at the spot as described by the informer. "Soon a car arrived and the driver and passenger stepped out and the latter started talking on the phone. A person approached the person who was speaking on the phone. When the trio was about to sit inside the car, the officials encircled the car and nabbed them," said a source from the Department.

When the officials asked them what they were carrying in the car, the trio gave vague answers. During a search, the officers found two plastic bags containing foreign made Indian liquor bottles. "On external examination of the bottles it was found that the corks of the bottles were loose. Also, some bottles had dirt inside them. When questioned about the source of the bottles, the driver of the car, Ashish Manjrekar, said they had bought the liquor from a person named Vijay Parmar," said an official.

Another nabbed person, Pandurang Gouda, told the officials that they were asked by kitchen manager Mahesh Devadiga to bring 25 bottles of Scotch. Devadiga, on being questioned, told the officials that he worked as kitchen manager at Hotel Peninsula Grand and had been told by Head Manager Parth Choudhary to bring the bottles from Gouda.

Supplier flees

As per the information, the officials arrested Choudhary. Choudhary told the officials that he had ordered spurious liquor for parties held in the hotel. Officials arrested Manjrekar, 35, Pandurang Gouda, 35, Mahesh Devadiga, 35 and Choudhary, 49, on Saturday. A supplier named Vijay Parmar is absconding. The Department officials have seized liquor worth Rs 1.47,685 and a car and mobile phones worth Rs 6,02,685.

According to Department officials, Parmar is a history-sheeter and has been booked by the department earlier, too. mid-day contacted Hotel Peninsula Grand for a comment, but there was no response.