VARANASI, Dec. 8 -- Foreign liquor allegedly being smuggled to Jharkhand, along with the truck transporting it, was seized after the vehicle overturned in the Rajkhar Valley on the Hathinala-Duddhi road on Saturday, revealing bottles packed in sacks, said police. Officials added that the consignment of Punjab-made foreign liquor was worth over Rs.50 lakh, while the truck itself was valued at about Rs.15 lakh. A police officer said that when a team reached the spot and inspected the overturned truck, they found a large consignment of illicit Punjab-made foreign liquor concealed beneath sacks of rice. The tarpaulin covering the vehicle had torn due to the accident, leaving several bottles broken and scattered, he added. The police officer said that the excise department was called to the scene, and a joint investigation was carried out. During the inspection, officials recovered 326 packs and 169 plastic sacks containing a total of 15,669 bottles, amounting to 5,960.265 liters, of various liquor brands. The vehicle number mentioned in the bill of lading, tax invoice, and e-way bill recovered from the truck's cabin did not match the actual registration number of the truck, confirming a smuggling attempt. A search was carried out for the driver and others involved, but no one was found, the officer added. Sonbhadra police said in a statement that a case has been registered under sections 318(4), 338, 336(3), 340(2) of the BNS and Sections 60/63/72 of the Excise Act against the truck driver, the truck owner, and two associated firms in connection with the incident. Police said the investigation is underway, and a search has been launched for the truck's driver and owner. htc...