Illegal liquor stock: One arrested

Udupi: Excise department, with the cooperation of Udupi and Uttar Kannada police, arrested one of the two accused in the case of illegal storage of liquor at two houses in Abyanadka of Bola village in Karkala taluk.
Excise deputy commissioner Bindushree P said Prashanth Suvarna, a resident of Adi Udupi, was arrested while he was travelling from Udupi to Karwar. A team of officials, including police from Udupi and Uttar Kannada, arrested Suvarna based on a tip-off. He was produced before the JMFC in Udupi which sent him to judicial custody. She added that efforts are on to arrest the other accused, Avinash Malli, who is a Congress functionary from Abyanadka.
The excise department had seized 272 cases of liquor worth Rs 15 lakh, stored illegally in two houses at Abyanadka of Bola village in Karkala taluk on Nov 14. According to officials, 2,360.9 litres of liquor of various brands transported illegally from Goa were stored in the houses. Raids were conducted at Avani Nilaya, belonging to Avinash Malli, and Marimaru Guthu in the village simultaneously. Accused Avinash Malli and Prashanth Suvarna had managed to flee the spot during the raids.