Man caught selling liquor at home during lockdown

He is an African who was catering to his compatriots

The Hennur police on Saturday busted an illegal liquor shop being run by a 43-year-old Ivory Coast national at a rented house in Hennur.

A police team led by Inspector Vasanth Kumar raided the house in C.M.R. Colony of Babusapalya and arrested Kehi C. Alexandre, who had taken the house on rent. A few African nationals, who were consuming liquor, managed to escape.

The police recovered 237 bottles of liquor from the house. Alexandre’s visa had expired, a police officer said.

Alexandre told the police that, during the lockdown, he had been running the liquor shop for his African friends.

The police booked him under the Disaster Management Act, Foreigners Act and also under the Excise Act.

Cashier arrested

In another incident, the Hanumanthnagar police, on Saturday, arrested the cashier of a bar and restaurant red-handed selling liquor to his regular customers on the roadside.

The accused, Raghavendra Manjunath, 31, works in Anjanadri bar and restaurant on Ramanjaneya Road.

Sub-inspector Basavaraju Patil caught him and seized 121 packs of liquor of various brands.

Raghavendra told the police that the bar was shut during the lockdown, but he continued to cater to regular customers. He would communicate with them over phone regarding their requirements, and deliver the liquor to them on Srinagar Pipeline Road.

The police booked Raghavendra and the owner of the bar under the Excise Act and also under Section 188 (disobedience of order duly promulgated by public servant) of the IPC.