Kathmandu, January 31. The Crime Branch of Nepal Police raided an fake liquor warehouse on Friday and detained four persons. One of them was identified as 39-year-old Santosh Chandra Bakhrel, the manager of “Being Human” clothing store in Durbarmarg. 

According to the police, Bakhrel partnered with Mulpani based Infinity Liquor proprietor Shailesh Pant and illegally supplied thousands of cartoons of imported fake liquor to wedding parties in Kathmandu. During the past 3 months, Bakhrel supplied more than 660 cartoons of fake liquor. The Police also discovered another 280 cartoons in the warehouse. The investigation revealed that the Bakhrel and Pant used to contact an Indian citizen named “Ravi” who would supply them fake bottles of Absolut Vodka, Black Label and Chivas Regal whiskey.

Not only fake liquor, but Bakhrel has also been involved in drug trafficking. In 2020, the Narcotic Control Bureau busted an illegal racket of “tramadol tablets”. (Tramadol is a narcotic pain reliever that has been banned for any and all uses outside chemotherapy and critical surgeries.) An officer told reporters that Bahrel was also arrested in the 2020 investigation. 

Since then, the metropolitan police has been constantly tracking activities in the “Being Human” clothing store, a business owned by Bollywood superstar Salman Khan. In November last year, the police recovered 69.5 lakh rupees from the store. Store keeper Hiroshi Khanal could not submit transaction details, therefore, got arrested. Upon investigation, the police discovered the store was involved in money laundering activities.