Indore, Nov 11 Investigators have seized Rs 35 lakh in cash, alleged proceeds of liquor smuggling, following the interrogation of the main accused in the murder case of police official Dilip Puri.
Puri was crushed to death under a truck while trying to stop interstate smuggling of illegal liquor in Madhya Pradesh’s Dewas district last week.
Dewas Superintendent of Police (SP) Aditya Mishra told reporters that eight people have been arrested so far in the murder case, of which six are in police custody.
“About Rs 35 lakh has been seized based on the information given by the main accused, Rahul Jaiswal. This money had been earned from the illegal liquor trade,” Mishra said.
Gang members or their associates had obtained liquor contracts worth Rs 40 crore in Harda district in the name of Patendra Jaiswal, a resident of Barwani district, the SP said.
“Patendra had a mere 10 per cent stake in the contracts, while Rahul Jaiswal, Manish Jaiswal and Mohin Jaiswal held a 30 per cent stake each,” he said.
To connect the dots in the investigation, the police raided Manish Jaiswal’s office in Indore and questioned some people, Mishra said.
Police also found several WhatsApp chats between the accused, containing details of the profits from the illegal liquor trade and distribution of funds among the partners, he said.
Another official said that Dilip Puri, in-charge of Khategaon Police Station, reached a spot on the Indore-Betul highway in the early hours of November 2 after receiving information about a consignment of illicit liquor being smuggled to Gujarat.
“Puri stopped a truck carrying over 1,800 litres of liquor. While he tried to question the driver, the latter drove the truck onto the road divider while trying to flee. Puri was crushed under a rear wheel,” he said.
The officer also said that one of the accused, Mohin Jaiswal, died while undergoing treatment at a hospital in Gujarat after allegedly suffering a brain stroke while on the run.
(PTI News)
