The Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted searches at 10 premises across Delhi-NCR, Haryana and Punjab on November 3 and 4 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 and Trace strips through the Gurugram-based liquor outlet 'The Theka', according to an ED statement reported by India Today. The searches were carried out by the agency's Gurugram Zonal Office under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, and covered residential and office premises of individuals associated with the outlet, foreign liquor suppliers, unauthorised suppliers and transporters allegedly forming part of the syndicate.

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The ED said the outlet is owned by Ankush Goyal and other partners. 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 and Trace strips from 'The Theka', the agency said. The ED also found another Haryana Police FIR against certain members of the alleged syndicate in connection with the sale of spurious liquor.

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Explaining the alleged modus operandi, the ED said the liquor was imported into India through government-recognised companies, but the syndicate allegedly exploited the bond-to-bond transfer system, which permits movement of liquor between states without immediate payment of customs and excise duties. The accused allegedly set up separate companies in Haryana and Goa/Maharashtra and obtained customs licences and documentation for such transfers; after payments were made to foreign suppliers through banking channels, consignments were moved to bonded warehouses in Haryana but were then allegedly diverted directly to liquor outlets in Gurugram, in connivance with transporters, instead of reaching the designated warehouses in Goa or Maharashtra, and sold to customers as legitimate stock.

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According to the ED, after obtaining liquor licences for the 2025-2027 period, the syndicate allegedly procured more than one lakh bottles of imported foreign liquor between June and November 2025 and sold them through 'The Theka' without paying applicable customs duty, VAT, permit fees and other taxes. The illegal sales allegedly generated profits of 20 to 25 per cent, with the agency estimating the proceeds of crime at over Rs 10 crore.

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During the latest searches, officials seized incriminating 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 ED said. The seized material will be examined to establish the extent of the alleged financial irregularities, identify the beneficiaries and trace the proceeds of crime, and further investigation is underway. The allegations are the agency's findings at this stage and are yet to be tested in court.

Source: India Today via News89