Enforcement Directorate Seizes Rs 78 Lakh in Raid on Punjab Liquor Firm

The Enforcement Directorate seized Rs 78 lakh in unaccounted cash and digital devices from Malbros International Pvt. Ltd., a Punjab-based liquor firm. The raids, conducted at seven locations, were linked to violations of environmental laws. Gautam Malhotra, a former director of the firm, was previously arrested in a related money laundering case.

The Enforcement Directorate Friday announced the seizure of Rs 78 lakh in unaccounted cash and digital devices during raids on Malbros International Pvt. Ltd., a Punjab-based liquor company. The searches targeted seven locations in Punjab, Delhi, and Madhya Pradesh.

According to the ED, the money laundering case originated from a criminal complaint filed by the Punjab Pollution Control Board. The company was accused of violating multiple sections of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, which resulted in soil and groundwater contamination around its factory premises.

The ED stated that the industrial effluent was illicitly discharged into bore-wells, posing significant risks to public health and causing cattle deaths. The agency also alleged that money generated from the environmental crime was used to fund the company's business operations.