The investigation has now extended to Bhiwandi, where the FDA recovered industrial methanol from a warehouse operated by Rex International. Officials suspect the chemical was supplied to bootleggers involved in the hooch tragedy.
Mumbai: The Crime Investigation Department (CID) has taken over the probe into the Pune hooch tragedy, even as Maharashtra’s Food and Drug Administration (FDA) seized 5,929 kg of toxic methanol from a warehouse in Bhiwandi, Thane district, allegedly linked to the supply chain behind the illicit liquor trade that claimed 14 lives. So far, 22 police and state excise personnel have been suspended for allegedly failing to curb the illegal manufacture and supply of spurious liquor.
The investigation has now extended to Bhiwandi, where the FDA recovered industrial methanol from a warehouse operated by Rex International. Officials suspect the chemical was supplied to bootleggers involved in the hooch tragedy.
An FDA team raided the premises on Friday and sealed the warehouse after the company allegedly failed to produce mandatory records, including ledger entries and verification documents required under the Poisons Act. The firm's owners, Arun Kumar Choubey and Abhishek Asan Kumar Choubey, have been taken into custody by the State Excise Department.
“Considering the gravity of the offence and the extent of the criminal network involved, the state government has decided to hand over the investigation to the CID,” an official said.
According to an order issued by the Pune Police Commissionerate, Senior Police Inspector Sanjay Mogale of Hadapsar police station, Assistant Police Inspector Hasina Sikalgar and Sub-Inspector Hasan Mulani were suspended for allegedly failing to act against the illegal liquor trade in the area.
Six personnel from Pimpri Chinchwad Police, including a senior inspector, a sub-inspector and four constables attached to Dapodi police station, have also been suspended.
The State Excise Department has placed 13 personnel under suspension, including three inspectors, six sub-inspectors and four staffers, Superintendent Atul Kanade said.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said the police and State Excise Department were investigating the “entire ecosystem” behind the tragedy.
So far, the police have arrested at least eight persons, including alleged suppliers and bootleggers. Those held include Karnelsingh Takhtsingh Virka (73), Gurmangatsingh Karnelsingh Virka (45), Yogesh Ramchandra Wankhede (23), Radhesham Hariram Prajapati (35), Indarjit Kaur Karnelsingh Virka (60) and Kalpesh Agrawal (29).
Investigators said the illicit liquor, sold for as little as Rs 30, had been adulterated with industrial methanol allegedly sourced from Rex International. The probe revealed that Karnelsingh Virka allegedly procured the liquor from Yogesh Wankhede, who in turn sourced the methanol from Radhesham Prajapati. “The methanol supply was directly traced to Rex International, which operates its corporate office in Vashi, Navi Mumbai, and maintains a warehouse in Bhiwandi,” officials said.
