Police in Aligarh attached ill-gotten assets worth Rs 51.80 crore of liquor mafia (Representational)
The police in Aligarh on Friday attached ill-gotten assets worth Rs 51.80 crore belonging to western Uttar Pradesh's liquor mafia Anil Chaudhary, key accused in hooch episodes that claimed lives of nearly 50 people, officials said.
The action was taken as part of a crackdown on gangsters and anti-social elements on directions of the state government, Aligarh Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Kalanidhi Naithani said.
"A campaign to attach the ill-gotten properties of gangsters and mafias is underway. Today, liquor mafia Anil Chaudhary's assets worth Rs 51.80 crore were attached. The action has been taken under Section 14(1) of the Gangsters Act," Mr Naithani said.
"Properties of his other associates like Rishi Sharma, Munish Sharma, Vipin Yadav, Vikram Singh and some others involved in illicit liquor business have been attached in the past. The value of those assets also runs in crores of rupees," he said.
"So far, ill-gotten properties worth Rs 66 crore have been attached by the police in favour of the state government," he added.
The police action against Chaudhary gained force this year when nearly 50 people died in the district allegedly after consuming illicit liquor in the months of May and June, according to officials.
With Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath calling for tough action against hooch sellers and makers, 33 FIRs were lodged and 88 suspects, including Chaudhary, arrested, they said.
Nine cases were lodged under the Gangsters Act in which action was taken against 73 accused people, Mr Naithani said.