81 detained for ‘consuming liquor’ at party near Ahmedabad in ‘dry’ Gujarat

“Sealed bottles of foreign liquor of different brands (8), half-filled liquor bottles (7), and empty bottles of foreign liquor of different brands (3), 70 glasses, 10 hookahs with rubber pipes, 8 packets of hookah flavors, 33 plastic containers of hookah flavors, 74 mobile phones, 22 cars, were found and seized during the search,” the statement said, adding that the total seizure amounted to Rs 2.91 crore.

The accused persons were booked at Sanand police station under Sections 65(A)(A), 116(B), 66(1)(B), 75(A), 85(1)(3), 81, 84, and 86 of the Prohibition Act.

Manufacturing, sale and consumption of liquor are prohibited in Gujarat.

However, the government made an exemption for Gujarat International Finance Tec-City or GIFT City in 2023, a global finance centre in Gandhinagar, allowing the sale and consumption of alcohol in the central business district with some conditions. In December last year, the state government further eased the rules in the GIFT City. As per changes made to alcohol rules at the hub, any person from outside Gujarat or India can now consume liquor at designated hotels or restaurants in GIFT City by showing a photo ID card.