Jalandhar, October 12, 2026: Jalandhar Police and the Excise Department have initiated joint action in the Basti Bawa Khel area following information about the alleged storage and sale of illegal liquor from a basement on Kapurthala Road. An FIR has been registered against Baldeep Singh Bhatia under provisions of the Punjab Excise Act.
According to details recorded in the case, the action began on the morning of October 11 when ASI Shishpal Singh of Basti Bawa Khel Police Station was patrolling near the canal bridge on Kapurthala Road along with other police personnel.
During the patrol, Excise Inspectors Somant Mahi and Inderbir Singh, accompanied by their team, reportedly approached the police with information received from a confidential source.
The information alleged that Baldeep Singh Bhatia, a resident of Raj Nagar in the Basti Bawa Khel area, was involved in the unauthorised sale of liquor and that a stock of liquor had allegedly been kept in a basement along Kapurthala Road.
The location mentioned in the information was the basement of the building housing a Bank of Baroda branch. The reference to the bank is only for identification of the location. There is no allegation in the available case details against Bank of Baroda or any of its employees.
Acting on the information received by the Excise Department, police initiated proceedings under Section 61/1/14 of the Punjab Excise Act, 1914. ASI Shishpal Singh prepared the necessary police documentation, following which an FIR was registered and a joint team proceeded towards the identified premises.
Police and Excise officials subsequently began checking the location to verify the information and determine the circumstances surrounding the alleged storage of liquor.
Investigators are expected to examine the source and ownership of any liquor recovered during the operation, along with documents or other material that may help establish how it reached the premises and whether any other individuals were involved.
The exact quantity and nature of any recovery should be treated as subject to the official seizure record and further investigation. Authorities have not yet released a complete public account of the final recovery or subsequent proceedings.
The allegations contained in an FIR are subject to investigation and judicial scrutiny. Registration of a case does not by itself establish the guilt of the person named in it.
Police and Excise officials are continuing the investigation, and further action will depend on the evidence gathered during the probe.
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