How ‘Theka’ ran an alleged ₹10 crore liquor store, sold 100,000 bottles illegally in Gurugram: ED probes money trail | Today’s news
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has busted an alleged liquor syndicate in Gurugram that was illegally selling over one million bottles of imported foreign liquor, generating proceeds of crime exceeding ₹10 crore, PTI reported on Thursday, citing officials.
The agency conducted searches at 10 locations in Delhi-NCR, Haryana and Punjab on November 3 and 4 as part of a money laundering probe linked to ‘Theka’, a licensed liquor outlet in Gurugram allegedly owned by Ankush Goyal and his associates, the report said.
During the two-day operation, the ED officials reportedly seized ₹11 crore in cash, apart from documents and digital records containing details of liquor purchases and sales.
According to the agency, the alleged syndicate procured more than one million bottles of imported foreign liquor between June and November 2025 and sold them illegally without paying the relevant taxes and duties.
How did the alleged liquor syndicate work?
The ED investigation found that the liquor was imported into India through government-recognised companies but was subsequently diverted using the bond-to-bond mechanism.
Under this system, spirits can be transferred between states without paying duty and excise taxes at the time of transfer.
The syndicate allegedly set up separate companies in Haryana and Goa or Maharashtra and obtained necessary customs licenses and documentation to facilitate these transactions, the report said.
After making payments to foreign liquor suppliers through banking channels, the imported stocks were transferred to bonded warehouses in Haryana, the agency said.
However, the investigation reportedly found that the liquor was subsequently sold through “Theka” without the required holograms and track and trace strips, allegedly evading applicable customs duty, VAT, other taxes and permit fees.
The agency told PTI that the syndicate hatched the arrangement after getting the liquor license for the period 2025-2027, allegedly to increase profits by buying and selling imported liquor outside the prescribed regulatory framework.
What prompted the ED investigation?
The money laundering investigation stems from an FIR registered on the basis of a complaint by excise officials.
On 9 December 2025, authorities seized 3,921 cases and 176 bulk bottles of imported foreign liquor without holograms and mandatory tracking strips from a “Theka” in Gurugram.
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Separately, the Haryana Police registered another FIR against some members of the alleged liquor syndicate for their alleged involvement in the sale of fake liquor.
The ED subsequently launched an investigation into the suspected generation and laundering of the proceeds of the illegal liquor trade.
How much money did the syndicate allegedly make?
According to the ED, the imported liquor was being sold through liquor shops by passing it off as legal stock.
The syndicate allegedly earned profit margins of 20-25% on these sales and generated criminal proceeds in excess of ₹10 million crowns.
The agency stressed that its latest probe was aimed at gathering more evidence about the alleged financial transactions and the network involved in the operation.
The ED said further investigation into the case is underway.
