Illicit alcohol sold as hand sanitiser in Devbhumi Dwarka, 3 arrested
In Devbhumi Dwarka, an unsettling trend continues to threaten public health: first, it was intoxicating cough syrup; now, illicit alcohol is being sold in the guise of hand sanitiser. What began as a local police seizure of suspicious bottles has, after a two-month investigation, uncovered a dangerous racket spanning multiple districts. The network spans multiple districts, including Devbhumi Dwarka, Porbandar, Kalyanpur, Mandvi, and Vasai in Maharashtra, where an unlicensed manufacturing unit was allegedly producing the illicit liquid.Seven people have been booked, and three arrested, for allegedly manufacturing and distributing products containing ethyl alcohol (ethanol) and isopropyl alcohol to be consumed as intoxicants.The investigation began in late March when police recovered 74 suspicious bottles labelled “Green Apple Hand Rub” and “Orange Hand Rub” from a provision store in Tupani village. A complaint was registered against the shop owner, Savdas Karsan Popaniya (37), under IPC Sections 308 (attempt to commit culpable homicide), 420 (cheating), 273 (sale of noxious food or drink), among others, on March 27.Officials say the accused were selling the liquid as hand sanitiser but intended it for consumption. A coordinated investigation was launched by Dwarka Police Station, the Local Crime Branch, and local field teams under Superintendent of Police Nitesh Pandey. Over two months, police traced the supply chain to an unlicensed manufacturing unit in Vasai, Mumbai, allegedly operated by absconding accused Lagdhirsinh Kalubha Jadeja.Three persons — Popaniya, Chirag Liladharbhai Thobhani (34), and Akram Nazir Banwa (37) — have been arrested and are currently in judicial custody. Thobhani and Banwa have prior cases related to illegal sale of Ayurvedic cough syrups laced with alcohol. All three were presented in court and remanded to custody.The remaining four accused — Jadeja (Vasai), Dharmesh alias Ragho (Kalyanpur), Himanshu Goswami (Mandvi/Mumbai), and Brijesh Jadav (Porbandar) — are currently absconding. Police say Jadav owns “Sangita Ayurvedic Care,” one of the entities allegedly used to distribute the spurious product.Lagdhirsinh Jadeja has three prior cases related to intoxicating Ayurvedic syrup. Himanshu Goswami also has previous offences, including prohibition-related crimes.Danger to public healthThe case comes in the wake of increased scrutiny following the Kefi Life Sciences case, in which toxic cough syrup produced in Gujarat led to multiple child deaths in Gambia and Uzbekistan. In this instance, however, the target appears to have been local consumption disguised under legitimate packaging.Authorities say the accused used misleading labels to evade prohibition laws and marketed the products through regular shops and paan stalls, increasing the risk of accidental or underage consumption.While ethyl alcohol and isopropyl alcohol are both alcohols, only ethanol is safe for human consumption when properly distilled and regulated (as in liquor). Isopropyl alcohol, on the other hand, is toxic and never safe to drink — it's commonly found in rubbing alcohol, cleaning agents, and some hand sanitisers. Ethanol-based hand sanitiser can have very high alcohol content — often 60–95%, far higher than drinking alcohol, which is typically 5% (beer) to 40% (spirits). If someone consumes a product with isopropyl alcohol, it can lead to severe poisoning, including dizziness, vomiting, internal bleeding, blindness, or even death. These products are not just strong — they are unfit for consumption because of additives, impurities, and the type of alcohol used.Police have said more arrests are likely as the investigation continues. Also read:Three arrested with 590 bottles of cough syrup in Ahmedabad Rural
In Devbhumi Dwarka, an unsettling trend continues to threaten public health: first, it was intoxicating cough syrup; now, illicit alcohol is being sold in the guise of hand sanitiser. What began as a local police seizure of suspicious bottles has, after a two-month investigation, uncovered a dangerous racket spanning multiple districts.
The network spans multiple districts, including Devbhumi Dwarka, Porbandar, Kalyanpur, Mandvi, and Vasai in Maharashtra, where an unlicensed manufacturing unit was allegedly producing the illicit liquid.
Seven people have been booked, and three arrested, for allegedly manufacturing and distributing products containing ethyl alcohol (ethanol) and isopropyl alcohol to be consumed as intoxicants.
The investigation began in late March when police recovered 74 suspicious bottles labelled “Green Apple Hand Rub” and “Orange Hand Rub” from a provision store in Tupani village. A complaint was registered against the shop owner, Savdas Karsan Popaniya (37), under IPC Sections 308 (attempt to commit culpable homicide), 420 (cheating), 273 (sale of noxious food or drink), among others, on March 27.
Officials say the accused were selling the liquid as hand sanitiser but intended it for consumption.
A coordinated investigation was launched by Dwarka Police Station, the Local Crime Branch, and local field teams under Superintendent of Police Nitesh Pandey. Over two months, police traced the supply chain to an unlicensed manufacturing unit in Vasai, Mumbai, allegedly operated by absconding accused Lagdhirsinh Kalubha Jadeja.
Three persons — Popaniya, Chirag Liladharbhai Thobhani (34), and Akram Nazir Banwa (37) — have been arrested and are currently in judicial custody. Thobhani and Banwa have prior cases related to illegal sale of Ayurvedic cough syrups laced with alcohol. All three were presented in court and remanded to custody.
The remaining four accused — Jadeja (Vasai), Dharmesh alias Ragho (Kalyanpur), Himanshu Goswami (Mandvi/Mumbai), and Brijesh Jadav (Porbandar) — are currently absconding. Police say Jadav owns “Sangita Ayurvedic Care,” one of the entities allegedly used to distribute the spurious product.
Lagdhirsinh Jadeja has three prior cases related to intoxicating Ayurvedic syrup. Himanshu Goswami also has previous offences, including prohibition-related crimes.
Danger to public health
The case comes in the wake of increased scrutiny following the Kefi Life Sciences case, in which toxic cough syrup produced in Gujarat led to multiple child deaths in Gambia and Uzbekistan. In this instance, however, the target appears to have been local consumption disguised under legitimate packaging.
Authorities say the accused used misleading labels to evade prohibition laws and marketed the products through regular shops and paan stalls, increasing the risk of accidental or underage consumption.
While ethyl alcohol and isopropyl alcohol are both alcohols, only ethanol is safe for human consumption when properly distilled and regulated (as in liquor). Isopropyl alcohol, on the other hand, is toxic and never safe to drink — it's commonly found in rubbing alcohol, cleaning agents, and some hand sanitisers.
Ethanol-based hand sanitiser can have very high alcohol content — often 60–95%, far higher than drinking alcohol, which is typically 5% (beer) to 40% (spirits). If someone consumes a product with isopropyl alcohol, it can lead to severe poisoning, including dizziness, vomiting, internal bleeding, blindness, or even death. These products are not just strong — they are unfit for consumption because of additives, impurities, and the type of alcohol used.
Police have said more arrests are likely as the investigation continues.
Also read:
Three arrested with 590 bottles of cough syrup in Ahmedabad Rural
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