43 men arrested, 38 women detained for consuming liquor at party near Ahmedabad in 'dry' Gujarat
Ahmedabad (PTI): Police have arrested 43 men and detained 38 women for allegedly consuming liquor during a party at a villa on the outskirts of Ahmedabad in Gujarat, a dry state, and seized alcohol bottles, hookahs, cars and mobile phones collectively valued at Rs 2.3 crore, officials said on Thursday.
The action against them was taken following a raid conducted at the marriage anniversary party held at the private villa shortly after Wednesday midnight, they said.
Manufacturing, sale and consumption of liquor are prohibited in Gujarat.
A Mumbai-based man organised a party to celebrate his brother-in-law's 25th marriage anniversary at Safal Nirvana Greens near Sanand on the outskirts of Ahmedabad at 12.30 am on Thursday, the police said.
The organiser invited a group of close friends, including men and women, to the villa owned by his friend, they said.
The police took action against a total of 81 persons present at the party.
"While 43 male attendees have been arrested, 38 female attendees were detained and were later released. Notices have been given to these women," Ahmedabad Rural Superintendent of Police (SP) Om Prakash Jat said.
During the raid, police seized material valued at Rs 2.3 crore, including 15 liquor bottles, 10 hookahs, 22 cars, and 74 mobile phones, he said.
Blood samples of all the attendees have been sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) to determine the presence of alcohol and drugs. If drug consumption is detected in any sample, action will also be taken under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, the SP added.
Police have registered a case under relevant sections of the Gujarat Prohibition Act, and launched a probe.
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No need for guv: DMK leader Kanimozhi
Chennai (PTI): Senior DMK leader Kanimozhi Karunanidhi on Friday reiterated her party’s opposition to the office of the governor amid uncertainty over government formation in Tamil Nadu after a fractured election mandate.
Speaking to PTI Videos, Kanimozhi emphasised that the DMK’s demand for the abolition of the governor’s post remained unchanged, especially as questions arise over constitutional propriety during the current political transition.
"Our position that we do not need a governor at all is something the DMK has never changed at any point in time," she said.
When asked about the governor’s actions following the election results—particularly the delay in inviting the leading party to form the government—Kanimozhi pointed to what she described as the "inherent friction" between the office of the governor and the political interests of the state.
She said the current situation "raises a lot of questions" and requires introspection regarding constitutional procedures.
Kanimozhi described the election results as lacking a "clear mandate", which she identified as the primary reason for the prevailing political uncertainty in the state.
"What the people decide is supreme," she said, adding that while the mandate was not decisive, it must be respected.
The Thoothukudi MP attributed the ongoing delays and "many confusions" to the absence of a decisive majority for any single party.
She firmly dismissed rumours about the DMK potentially supporting the AIADMK from outside to help stabilise the government.
She described such reports as mere "speculation" and "rumours".
"We can’t be responding to every rumour," she said, declining to comment on the AIADMK’s claims regarding its numbers to form the government.
The political situation in Tamil Nadu remains fluid as stakeholders await the governor’s next constitutional step in an Assembly where no party has secured a clear majority.
The DMK and AIADMK—both of which suffered significant losses to the TVK—are reportedly exploring tactical manoeuvres to navigate the hung Assembly.
The TVK, with 108 seats and the support of Congress’s five MLAs, is still short of the majority mark. The DMK and AIADMK secured 59 and 47 seats, respectively.
