Retd Armyman, 2 others held for smuggling liquor

A retired Armyman acting as the leader of an interstate bootleggers’ gang has been arrested along with two of his associates, who were supplying illicit liquor to Gujarat.

The accused have been identified as Kripa Shankar Sharma (45), retired Armyman, who had taken VRS in 2012, Praveen Diwedi (28) and Mahesh Singh (34). Both Diwedi and Singh are residents of Hari Nagar in Delhi while Sharma used to live in Jam Nagar in Gujarat.

“They used a Maruti SX4 car with a ‘red beacon’ and forged number plate with defence number series. The leader impersonated himself as a ‘serving’ Subedar in the Indian Army. They used to procure illicit liquor from Delhi and smuggle the same to Gujarat after affixing forged label of — CSD Supply Old Monk XXX-RUM,” said Ravindra Yadav, Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime Branch). Total 600 bottles of illicit liquor have been recovered from their possession. 

Yadav further said that an information was received at the South-eastern Range that some retired Army officials are indulged in smuggling illicit liquor who would come at Gopi Nath Bazar, Delhi Cantt, in a Maruti SX4 car with a red beacon having defence series number plate containing illicit liquor. Accordingly, a trap was laid and two persons wearing Army uniform arrived in the car as described above and after few minutes, another person joined them. During probe, it was learnt that Sharma had joined Indian Army as a constable in 1991 but had taken VRS in 2012 after his promotion as Havildar. He then indulged in smuggling of illicit liquor in Gujarat, a dry state, in garb of CSD supply posing as a serving Subedar. Singh and Diwedi later joined Sharma.