Prayagraj: A wanted member of an interstate smuggling gang, carrying a reward of Rs 50,000 in connection with a 2023 illegal liquor case registered in Prayagraj, was arrested by the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) from Mohali in Punjab on Wednesday.The accused, identified as Manveer Singh alias Mannu, a resident of Hisar in Haryana, was arrested from Zirakpur Metro Chowk in SAS Nagar (Mohali). A mobile phone and Rs 1,010 in cash were recovered from his possession.The arrest was made by a Prayagraj field unit team following intelligence inputs that the accused, who had been evading arrest for a long time, was hiding in Mohali. The operation was conducted under the supervision of deputy superintendent of police Shailesh Pratap Singh and led by inspector Jai Prakash Rai.Singh was wanted in connection with a case registered at Nawabganj police station under charges related to cheating, forgery, and provisions of the Excise Act.During interrogation, the accused allegedly told STF officials that he was part of an interstate liquor smuggling network operating with associates, including Navdeep Singh alias Navi Grewal alias Lucky Singh, and others. The gang allegedly smuggled liquor from Chandigarh and Punjab to several states, including Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Uttarakhand, and Jharkhand.According to the STF, the gang used trucks to transport illegal liquor and concealed consignments beneath or among other goods to evade police checks. The liquor was allegedly hidden using materials such as eggs, poultry feed, plastic sheets, pasta, and potatoes.The accused was also allegedly involved in a 2023 case in which a large consignment of illegal English liquor was being transported to Bihar through Uttar Pradesh. STF officials had then arrested three members of the gang in Amethi’s Kamrauli area and seized the liquor along with a truck. Singh was subsequently arrested and sent to jail in that case on Jan 24, 2024, along with an associate.In another case registered at Nawabganj in Prayagraj in 2023, a truck carrying illegal liquor allegedly concealed among cartons of rotten eggs was intercepted. Singh was wanted in the case and reportedly went into hiding after a reward was announced for his arrest.