Bengaluru: Newly appointed Home Minister of Karnataka Araga Jnanendra on Saturday said he had not expected to get an important portfolio like Home as a minister in the CM Basavaraj Bommai’s newly formed cabinet of ministers.

Speaking to reporters in Shettykoppa in the district, he said no portfolio is big or small and it depends on the minister and his dedication with which he fulfills his duty.

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“I did not anticipate of bait for any particular ministry or portfolio. Whichever portfolio they would give, I would’ve done my best to fulfill my duties. But I did not expect to get the as important a portfolio as Home” he said.

He further added that the CM Bommai and Yediyurappa and leaped faith in him and that he would be committed to his duties and not disappoint them.

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Ahmedabad: In Gujarat, where alcohol prohibition is in place, authorities have seized one bottle of Indian-Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) every four seconds in 2024, according to police data.

A total of 82 lakh liquor bottles, valued at Rs 144 crore, were confiscated across the state. Of these, 4,38,047 bottles were seized in Ahmedabad city, Ahmedabad rural, and Western Railways' Ahmedabad jurisdiction, as reported by the Times of India on Tuesday.

Ahmedabad city alone accounted for 2,139 cases involving 3.06 lakh IMFL bottles, while 7,796 cases were linked to the confiscation of 1.58 lakh litres of countrymade liquor.

Authorities seized Rs 9.8 crore worth of IMFL bottles hidden in secret compartments of trucks and godowns in Vadodara rural. Additionally, police uncovered Rs 8.9 crore worth of liquor disguised as household goods in an interstate smuggling operation in Surat rural, added the report.

Navsari recorded a seizure of 6.23 lakh IMFL bottles traced to high-tech manufacturing units in neighbouring states, while Godhra authorities seized liquor worth Rs 8.8 crore. In Bhavnagar, law enforcement intercepted Rs 8.7 crore worth of IMFL and countrymade liquor concealed inside water tanks and beneath fresh vegetables.

A senior official told TOI that these raids serve as a reminder to smugglers that, irrespective of their innovative tactics, they will not be allowed to violate the law. “The message is clear: There's no room for the spirit of lawlessness in the land of Gandhi," the official asserted.

However, a retired Director General of Police (DGP) acknowledged that completely halting liquor smuggling is a massive challenge due to supply chains from neighbouring states. He emphasised the need for stricter action against local breweries to curb illegal liquor distribution.