3 held for selling illicit liquor in ambulance

Parminder Yadav,Rakesh and Jitender were arrested by the South Delhi police,who also impounded the van.

According to police,to avoid suspicion,Rakesh acted as a patient,while Jitender was his attendant. Yadav would drive the ambulance,keeping its flash light on and using pressure horn.

While Rakesh would lie down on the cartons of liquor,covered with a white bedspread to make them seem like a stretcher,Jitender would hold a bottle of glucose,whenever they encountered police presence on their way,police said.

Taking advantage of the cheap rate of liquor in Haryana,the three would purchase cartons of it in bulk and sell them to different liquor vendors in UP for profit,after transporting them in their vehicle. The gang was operating between Haryana and UP,via Delhi,for the last eight months,police said.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) Chhaya Sharma said,“The accused were arrested following a tip-off early on Thursday morning”.

During questioning,Yadav said he owned and drove the vehicle and was earlier associated with a private hospital in Gurgaon. Around eight months ago,he quit his job and along with the other two associates,started smuggling illicit liquor.

“They chose the ambulance as the way to operate since they were sure that police would never stop an emergency vehicle and would make way for a clear passage on the roads,” said a senior police officer.