New Delhi, November 4, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has conducted search and seizure operations at 10 locations across Delhi-NCR, Haryana and Punjab as part of a money laundering investigation into the alleged illegal procurement and sale of imported foreign liquor through Gurugram-based liquor vend chain ‘The Theka’.
The searches were carried out by the ED’s Gurugram Zonal Office on Tuesday and Wednesday under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The locations included offices and residences of individuals associated with ‘The Theka’, foreign liquor suppliers, transporters and others allegedly linked to the liquor syndicate.
According to the ED, the investigation stems from FIRs and charge sheets filed by Haryana Police over the alleged illegal sale of imported foreign liquor and misuse of the bond-to-bond transfer mechanism to evade customs duties and state excise taxes.
The case originated from a complaint by Excise Department officials, who seized 3,921 cases and 176 loose bottles of imported foreign liquor from ‘The Theka’ on December 9, 2025. The liquor allegedly lacked mandatory holograms and Track & Trace strips. Another FIR was registered against syndicate members over their alleged involvement in the sale of spurious liquor.
The ED alleged that the syndicate misused the bond-to-bond transfer system, which allows imported liquor to be moved between states without immediate payment of customs and excise duties. Although consignments were officially meant for bonded warehouses in Goa or Maharashtra, investigators found that they were allegedly diverted in connivance with transporters and supplied directly to liquor outlets in Gurugram.
The agency further alleged that more than one lakh bottles of imported liquor were procured and illegally sold between June and November 2025. The operation allegedly generated proceeds of crime exceeding Rs 10 crore, with profits of 20-25 per cent on illegal sales.
During the searches, the ED seized incriminating documents, digital records relating to the procurement and movement of imported liquor, and cash amounting to Rs 11 lakh. Further investigation is underway.
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