Pune hooch deaths | CID takes over probe after FDA seizes 5,929 kg methanol used in spurious liquor

Mumbai: The Crime Investigation Department (CID) has taken over the probe into the Pune hooch trade even as Maharashtra’s Food and Drug Administration (FDA) seized 5,929 kg of toxic methanol from a warehouse in Bhiwandi in Thane district supplied to the bootleggers.

On the other hand, 22 personnel from Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad police commissionerates and the State Excise has been suspended.

At least 15 people have died between Wednesday and Friday because of the illicit hooch, however, the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) has claimed that 18 people have died and that the figures were suppressed.

During the probe, police arrested Karnelsingh Takhtsingh Virka, Gurmangatsingh Karnelsingh Virka, Yogesh Ramchandra Wankhede, Radhesham Hariram Prajapati, Indarjit Kaur Karnal Singh Virka and Kalpesh Agrawal in connection with the case.

The FDA on Saturday raided the premises of Rex International in Bhiwandi and sealed it after the firm failed to produce any ledger entries or mandatory verification details under the Poisons Act.

Investigations revealed that Karnal Singh Virka procured the liquor from Wankhede, who in turn got the lethal substance from Radhesham Hariram Prajapati of Uruli Kanchan. On the other hand, Yogesh Ramchandra Wankhede brewed the liquor.

The owners of the firm, Arun Kumar Choubey and Abhishek Asan Kumar Choubey, have already been taken into custody by the State Excise Department.