Alcohol under the guise of ayurvedic syrup busted, items worth Rs.1 crore seized

• An alcohol factory posing as an Ayurvedic syrup got busted in Vadodara. Items worth Rs. 1 crore got seized.
• In Sankarda Durga Estate, the alcohol factory got discovered.
  
• After discovering alcohol in a syrup container, a liquor plant got confiscated from Durga Industrial Estate in Sankara. Forensic Science Laboratory assistance has been sought, three people were detained.

A factory selling alcohol under the pretext of ayurvedic medication was located by the Prevention of Crime Branch in the Durga Industrial Estate near Sankarda village. The company was selling alcohol in the form of an ayurvedic syrup named ‘Kankasav‘, according to a police probe. 

According to the information received, Vadodara’s  Prevention of Crime Branch P.I., J.J. Patel, was alerted about the ongoing liquor operation. The PCB confirmed the facts and raided the company. In addition, the ongoing systematic scam of producing alcohol under the pretext of ayurvedic syrup and marketing it as ayurvedic medicine got uncovered. The plant got raided by police, who seized more than Rs. 30 lakhs worth of alcohol. Apart from alcohol, pieces of machinery and other equipment added up to a total of Rs. 1 crore items.Nitin Kotwani, who was previously arrested for his malicious activities during the pandemic crisis for manufacturing sanitizers, had resumed his operation, which startled police officers. After the names of Nitin Kotwani and Bhagat Bishnoi were made public, the Forensic Science Laboratory investigated the matter and discovered that there was liquor in the bottle of Ayurvedic syrup, a police probe was launched immediately.

During the raid, police discovered alcohol worth Rs 30 lakh as well as brewing machinery and equipment. In addition, three corporate employees have been detained. According to an FSL investigation, there is alcohol in the container of Ayurvedic syrup. Nitin Kotwani owns the company, according to PCB P.I. Patel. He previously got caught selling counterfeit hand sanitizers before moving on to selling alcohol, disguised as ayurvedic syrup under the pretense of ayurvedic medicine.

In a fake sanitizer case, police arrested Nitin Ajit Kotwani, and the inquiry found that the raw material was being supplied by Maruti Chem Company’s Ashok Ramjibhai Patel. The minimum level of methyl alcohol in sanitizer was 1.2%, and the maximum amount was 96.1%, according to the FSL’s investigation, and its use could have catastrophic consequences.

After being released on bail, Nitin Kotwani began a new business. Nitin Kotwani began producing alcohol and distributing it under the name of Ayurvedic syrup after being released on bail a month ago. Alcohol disguised as the ayurvedic syrup was transported in tempos, daily from three o’clock, to deliver at medical stores around the state. 

Written by:

Shristi Chatterjee