1 lakh bottles sold illegally, Rs 10 crore proceeds: ED probes liquor syndicate
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has conducted searches at 10 premises across Delhi-NCR, Haryana and Punjab as part of a money-laundering investigation into an alleged liquor syndicate accused of illegally procuring and selling imported foreign liquor without mandatory holograms and Track & Trace strips through Gurugram-based liquor outlet 'The Theka'.
The agency said that around 1 lakh liquor bottles were sold illegally, and the alleged sales generated 20–25 per cent profits, with the ED estimating proceeds of crime from the operation at over Rs. 10 crore.
The searches, carried out by the agency's Gurugram Zonal Office on November 3 and 4 under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, led to the seizure of incriminating documents, digital records relating to liquor supplies and Rs. 11 lakh in cash.
The investigation centres on 'The Theka', owned by Ankush Goyal and other partners, and its alleged links with foreign liquor suppliers, transporters and other individuals involved in the procurement and distribution of imported liquor without the mandatory identification and tracking requirements.
According to an ED statement, the searches covered residential and office premises of individuals associated with the liquor outlet, foreign liquor suppliers, unauthorised suppliers and transporters allegedly forming part of the syndicate.
The money-laundering investigation was initiated following an FIR and chargesheet filed by Haryana Police concerning the alleged illegal sale of foreign liquor and misuse of the bond-to-bond transfer mechanism.
The case originated from a complaint by excise officials, who on December 9, 2025, seized 3,921 cases and 176 loose bottles of imported foreign liquor without holograms and Track & Trace strips from 'The Theka'.
The ED also found another FIR registered by Haryana Police against certain members of the alleged syndicate in connection with the sale of spurious liquor.
During its investigation, the agency found that the liquor was imported into India through government-recognised companies.
However, the syndicate allegedly exploited the bond-to-bond transfer system, which permits the movement of liquor between states without immediate payment of customs and excise duties.
According to the ED, the accused established separate companies in Haryana and Goa/Maharashtra and obtained the necessary customs licences and documentation to facilitate such transfers.
After making payments to foreign liquor suppliers through banking channels, the consignments were moved to bonded warehouses in Haryana.
However, instead of transporting the stock to the designated warehouses in Goa or Maharashtra, the syndicate allegedly diverted the consignments directly to liquor outlets in Gurugram in connivance with transporters.
The imported liquor was subsequently sold to customers as legitimate stock, allegedly bypassing applicable customs duties, state excise taxes, cesses and other charges.
The agency's investigation further revealed that after obtaining liquor licences for the 2025-2027 period, the syndicate allegedly devised a strategy to maximise profits by procuring and selling imported liquor without the mandatory holograms and tracking strips.
Between June and November 2025, the syndicate allegedly procured more than one lakh bottles of imported foreign liquor and sold them through 'The Theka' without paying the applicable customs duty, VAT, permit fees and other taxes.
The illegal sales allegedly generated profits of 20–25 per cent, with the ED estimating that the proceeds of crime generated through the operation exceeded Rs. 10 crore.
During the latest searches, officials seized documents and digital information concerning the procurement and movement of imported foreign liquor through the bond-to-bond transfer mechanism, besides Rs. 11 lakh in cash.
The seized material will be examined to establish the extent of the alleged financial irregularities, identify the beneficiaries and trace the proceeds of crime.
The ED said further investigation into the money-laundering network is underway.- Ends
Kamaljit Sandhu is an award winning journalist working as Deputy Editor in India Today. She has nearly two decades of experience as a full time TV journalist. She covers "conflict" regions, Internal security matters, MEA and Parliament. Her work has often led to crisscrossing the country. She has also traveled to Pakistan and Iran, in pursuit of news stories. In 2019, she received the ENBA Award for best news programming for her ground report on "surviving Bastar" which was based on the government's policy on inducting tribals in Crpf in chattisgarh to counter naxals.
Personal interests: Kamaljit likes travelling, interior decoration and playing scrabble, Has varied interests in sporting activities like swimming, badminton and Yoga.
