50k litres of extra neutral alcohol seized in UK dist; 2 tanker drivers held

Karwar: In a pre-dawn operation, excise officials in Uttara Kannada district seized two tanker trucks carrying 50,000 litres of extra neutral alcohol (ENA) that was allegedly transported using forged documents.Sharing details in Karwar Monday, KL Nagesh, joint commissioner (enforcement and investigation), excise department, Mangaluru division, said this is one of the biggest seizures by the department in recent years. Both consignments were shown as being sent to fake, non-existent companies in Goa, he said.Nagesh said the raid followed specific intelligence inputs. Acting under the guidance of Amanullah Khan, deputy commissioner of excise, Uttara Kannada district, officers intercepted the vehicles near the toll gate at Ramanagar in Joida taluk on the Dharwad–Goa national highway.Officials first stopped a tanker allegedly transporting 30,000 litres of denatured rectified spirit (non-potable) from Davangere Sugar Company Limited to Global Chem Corp, Kundem, Goa. The accompanying documents were suspected of being fake.In a similar case, another tanker was intercepted while allegedly carrying 20,000 litres of ethanol (non-potable) from Sai Traders & Company, Davangere, to Vardhan Supplements India Pvt Ltd, Perne Industrial Estate, Goa. Here too, officials suspected that the transport documents were fabricated.To verify the contents, a chemist from a primary distillery was called to the spot. Using an alcometer, he tested the liquid in both tankers and found it to be ENA, not the substances mentioned in the paperwork. Officials then seized both tankers and the 50,000 litres of ENA.The drivers — Magler Singh of TP Nagar, Indore, Madhya Pradesh, and Dharmappa Kalakappa Kattimani of Bombay MDTS, Rona taluk, Gadag — were arrested and later remanded to judicial custody.Separate cases were registered by the excise sub-division, Yellapur, and the excise inspector of the Dandeli range. Officials estimated the value of the seized ENA at Rs 40 lakh, while the two tankers were valued at about Rs 50 lakh. The total seizure stands at Rs 90 lakh.The department said further investigation is under way to identify the larger network behind the alleged misuse of documents and illegal transport of industrial alcohol.