Gujarat hooch tragedy: Delhi supplier among 31 held as cops trace methanol trail

Bhavnagar, Aug 27 (IANS) The Gujarat Police’s State Monitoring Cell (SMC) has traced the source of methanol allegedly used to manufacture the poisonous liquor involved in the Bhavnagar hooch tragedy to Delhi, with three more suspects arrested in the national capital and the total number of arrests rising to 31, officials said on Thursday.

According to officials, the SMC established during its investigation that Delhi resident Pramodkumar Budakoti allegedly supplied the methanol illegally to two other Delhi residents, Rohit Pradhan and Keshav Jatav.

The latter two allegedly arranged for the chemical to be transported through other accused to a transport company godown in Ahmedabad.

With assistance from the Delhi Police, SMC teams arrested all three men. “The process of securing transit remand and bringing them to Gujarat is currently underway,” police said.

The latest arrests are part of an investigation into the manufacture and distribution of methanol-laced spurious liquor in Bhavnagar district that claimed 13 lives.

Police said they have now arrested 31 accused in the case. The investigation began on August 18 after an accidental death case was registered within the jurisdiction of Vartej Police Station.

Police subsequently established that poisonous liquor containing methanol was involved and registered a case against 21 accused under various provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, and the Gujarat Prohibition Act.

On the directions of Director General of Police (DGP) G S Malik, the investigation was handed over to the SMC, with Police Inspector S M Jadeja taking charge.

To trace the contaminated liquor and prevent further loss of life, the SMC formed multiple teams to identify people to whom the liquor had been supplied.

Sixteen teams were deployed across Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and different districts of Gujarat to identify accused, make arrests and collect evidence.

Investigators specifically focused on tracing the origin of methanol and other chemicals, the transporters involved in moving them and the route through which the chemicals reached Gujarat.

The investigation subsequently led police to the alleged Delhi-based supplier and the two men who allegedly received the methanol before it was transported to Ahmedabad.

Police said tracing this part of the supply chain was a breakthrough in establishing the source of the chemical used to manufacture the poisonous liquor.

The tragedy came to light after people who had consumed the suspected liquor in and around Kharakdi village in Ghogha taluka fell seriously ill.

The liquor was allegedly prepared using toxic chemicals and distributed through a wider network.

An earlier investigation found that the suspected liquor had been sold in bottles bearing stickers resembling the ‘Royal Stag’ brand—chemical analysis of a seized bottle recorded 38.59 per cent methanol and 0.94 per cent ethanol.

Police have also taken disciplinary action against seven personnel accused of negligence in connection with the incident.

The SMC is continuing its investigation into the wider network, including the procurement of chemicals, their transportation to Gujarat, manufacture of the poisonous liquor and its subsequent distribution.

Police said further arrests are possible as investigators follow the supply chain and gather additional evidence.

–IANS

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