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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IMEC momentum to boost Karnataka exports amid global trade disruptions
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka’s exporters are set to benefit as the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) gathers momentum as an alternative to traditional maritime choke points, a senior tax official said, pointing to shifting global trade routes amid ongoing geopolitical tensions.
Addressing a seminar on “Navigating Geo-Political Challenges: Policy Measures and Preparedness to Build Resilience,” Kotraswamy M, Commissioner of Central Tax, Bengaluru North, said disruptions around key routes such as the Strait of Hormuz and the Suez Canal had underscored the need for more reliable corridors.
The event was organised by the Bangalore Chamber of Industry and Commerce (BCIC) in association with the Indian Institute of Materials Management.
"Owing to geopolitical tensions in West Asia, connectivity was hindered with Strait of Hormuz and Suez Canal as the choke points. Now with India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) gaining momentum as alternatives to the choke points, exporters from Karnataka and other states in India stand to gain in the global trade market," Kotraswamy said.
With this development, several critical choke points, especially fuel-related disruptions are expected to increase, he said adding IMEC is now gaining momentum as a more efficient and more reliable pathway, instead of depending on routes like the Suez Canal, the Strait of Hormuz, or even the Cape route, which are costly in terms of freight and sailing time, Kotraswamy said.
He added that exporters were also seeing gains from policy measures under the Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime.
“As exports are treated as zero-rated supplies under GST, the effective tax incidence on exports is zero per cent, allowing businesses to claim refunds on input taxes paid,” he said.
Kotraswamy noted that over 90 per cent of refund claims were now processed within seven days, compared to 15 to 30 days earlier.
He further said recent recommendations had enabled automatic refund processing and reduced documentation, cutting compliance costs by 20 to 25 per cent and easing working capital pressures.
Highlighting the state’s export performance, Prince Mehra of EXIM Bank said Karnataka is the fourth-largest exporter in India, contributing around seven per cent to the country’s merchandise exports and recording a compound annual growth rate of 7.8 per cent from FY19 to FY25.
“In FY25, Karnataka’s exports stood at USD 30.5 billion, driven by telecom instruments (17.3 per cent) and petroleum (14 per cent), followed by electrical equipment (five per cent), RMG/apparel (4.7 per cent), electronics (4.2 per cent), coffee (4.1 per cent) and pharmaceuticals (3.8 per cent),” Mehra said.
He added that the state ranked sixth in NITI Aayog’s Export Preparedness Index 2024 with an untapped export potential of USD 24.4 billion.
Emphasising the need for adaptability, K Ravi, senior vice president of BCIC, said in today’s volatile global landscape, resilience is no longer optional as it is a strategic imperative. Geopolitical challenges are reshaping trade dynamics and compelling businesses to rethink risk, cost, and continuity.
Sivasankari Murugan of ECGC highlighted support mechanisms available to exporters, including insurance products and policy interventions such as the RELIEF Scheme and the Export Promotion Mission.
She said such measures reflected a strong commitment to safeguarding industry competitiveness, and added that platforms like the seminar help stakeholders build the collaborative mindset required to navigate uncertainty.
