Poll code violations galore

 Consignments of liquor, reportedly meant to be distributed to voters for the ULB elections, were seized in various places across the State on Tuesday. Cases have been registered against several suspects.

Liquor seized in Belgaum

The Excise Enforcement and Lottery Prohibition wing of the police, on Tuesday, conducted a raid near Kudremani village on the Karnataka-Maharashtra border and seized Goan liquor and the vehicle used for transport, worth Rs 4.5 lakh, reports DHNS from Belgaum.

One person was arrested and his accomplice managed to flee. It is suspected that the liquor was being smuggled for distribution to voters during the ULB polls.

Deputy Superintendent of Police S A Agadi told reporters that based on a tip-off, a team led by Police Inspector N V Baramani laid a trap on the Belgaum-Vengurla Road in the early hours of the day. At 4 am, a pick-up van, coming towards Belgaum with liquor boxes, was intercepted near Kudremani.

Sanjay Parashuram Chavan, a resident of Savantwadi in Sindhudurg district of Maharashtra was arrested, while his accomplice managed to flee. A total of 100 brandy boxes worth Rs 1.5 lakh and the vehicle worth Rs 3 lakh were seized and cases were registered against the accused for smuggling liquor into the State.

60 cases booked

Deputy Commissioner of Excise Y Manjunath said on Tuesday that his department had booked 60 cases pertaining to breach of licence (BLC) and consumption of liquor at prohibited places.

He said: “It includes 32 BLC cases and 23 for consuming liquor at restricted places. Acting on tip-offs, 273 raids have been conducted, seizing 50 litres of liquor and arresting 27 suspects.”

Case against JD(S) leaders

Cases have been booked against JD(S) leaders Zameer Ahmed and J K Krishna Reddy for allegedly campaigning even after the stipulated deadline in Chintamani of Chikkaballapur district on Tuesday. It is said that the campaigning came to end at 7 am, but they continued visiting the voters even after 11 am.

In Bidar

A total of 11 cases of poll code violation have been registered in the district. A number of people with suspicious backgrounds and rowdy elements have been rounded up.