How 'The Theka' Ran An Alleged ₹10 Crore Liquor Racket, Illegally Sold 1 Lakh Bottles In Gurugram: ED Probes Money Trail

(MENAFN- Live Mint) The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has uncovered an alleged liquor syndicate in Gurugram that illegally sold more than one lakh 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 across Delhi-NCR, Haryana and Punjab on November 3 and 4 as part of a money-laundering investigation linked to 'The Theka', a licensed liquor outlet in Gurugram reportedly owned by Ankush Goyal and his partners, the report said.

During the two-day operation, ED officials reportedly seized ₹11 lakh in cash, besides documents and digital records containing details of liquor purchases and sales.

According to the agency, the alleged syndicate procured more than one lakh bottles of imported foreign liquor between June and November 2025 and sold them illegally without paying applicable taxes and duties.

How did the alleged liquor syndicate operate?

The ED investigation found that the liquor was imported into India through government-recognised companies but was subsequently diverted using the bond-to-bond transfer mechanism.

Under this system, liquor can be transferred between states without the payment of customs and excise duties at the time of transfer.

The syndicate allegedly established separate companies in Haryana and Goa or Maharashtra and obtained the necessary customs licences and documentation to facilitate these transactions, as per the report.

After making payments to foreign liquor suppliers through banking channels, the imported stock was transferred to bonded warehouses in Haryana, the agency said.

However, the investigation reportedly found that the liquor was subsequently sold through 'The Theka' without the required holograms and track-and-trace strips, allegedly bypassing applicable customs duty, VAT, other taxes and permit fees.

The agency told PTI the syndicate devised the arrangement after obtaining a liquor licence for the 2025-2027 period, with the alleged objective of increasing profits through the procurement and sale of imported liquor outside the prescribed regulatory framework.

What triggered the ED investigation?

The money-laundering probe stems from an FIR registered following a complaint by excise officials.

On December 9, 2025, authorities had recovered 3,921 cases and 176 loose bottles of imported foreign liquor without holograms and mandatory track-and-trace strips from 'The Theka' in Gurugram.

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Separately, Haryana Police registered another FIR against certain members of the alleged liquor syndicate over their suspected involvement in the sale of spurious liquor.

The ED subsequently initiated its investigation into the suspected generation and laundering of proceeds from the illegal liquor trade.

How much money did the syndicate allegedly make?

According to the ED, the imported liquor was sold through liquor outlets by passing it off as legitimate stock.

The syndicate allegedly earned profit margins of 20-25% on these sales and generated proceeds of crime exceeding ₹10 crore.

The agency emphasised that its latest searches were aimed at gathering further evidence of the alleged financial transactions and the network involved in the operation.

The ED said further investigation into the case is underway.

With inputs from PTI.

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