Two liquor mafia members held over Bihar hooch case

Saran superintendent of police (SP) Santosh Kumar confirmed the arrest and identified the accused liquor mafias as Akhilesh Kumar Yadav, alias Akhilesh Rai, and Anil Singh.

The special investigation team (SIT) probing into the biggest hooch tragedy in dry Bihar’s Saran district in which at least 70 people died arrested two liquor mafia members in connection with the case, police said on Sunday, adding they have recovered ₹2.17 lakh in cash.

Relatives mourn the death of those who died in the hooch tragedy at Chhapra in Saran district of Bihar. (Santosh Kumar/HT)

Saran superintendent of police (SP) Santosh Kumar confirmed the arrest and identified the accused as Akhilesh Kumar Yadav, alias Akhilesh Rai, and Anil Singh. “Akhilesh Rai, a resident of Panapur, is the main operator of the liquor smuggling trade from outside Bihar while Anil Singh’s involvement has come to light during the interrogation of Rai,” said the SP.

The initial interrogation of the two accused has revealed that they had brought spirit from Uttar Pradesh and it was used in manufacturing of spurious liquor, which was consumed in large quantity by villagers in Mashrakh, Marhaura, Ishuapur, Amnaur, Tariyya, Baniyapur and Parsa blocks of Saran district on Tuesday night, leading to the deaths.

Though the two arrested are not named in two FIRs lodged at Mashrakh and Ishuapur police stations in connection with the deaths due to consumption of illicit liquor, their involvement was ascertained during the course of investigation by the SIT in the last few days, police said.

Three of the named accused in the liquor smuggling/trading — identified as Kunal Singh, Ramji Shah and Mukesh Singh — have died in the alleged hooch incident, police investigation revealed.

Police have also seized register, records for transporting and manufacturing illegal liquor consignment from the accused in Panapur, a riverine area in Saran district, on Sunday evening, a senior police officer said.

So far, hospital records point at deaths of 70 people, the Saran administration has confirmed death of 38 people.

The two accused, Rai and Singh, have several cases registered against them related to illicit liquor manufacturing and smuggling. The Saran SP said Rai is facing over six liquor-related case and Anil is facing four cases with the Masrakh and Ishuapur police stations. “We are also looking into all their case histories and their network in supply of illicit liquor,” the SP added.

The chief minister Nitish Kumar-led state government facing flak from the Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the incident, had constituted a SIT to probe the hooch tragedy and those behind brewing illicit liquor. Police teams have been conducting raids at various places in Chhapra and nearby areas to arrest suspected illicit liquor traders and mafia.

The FIRs lodged in this connection have named 13 people, according to police.

Police officers familiar with the details said the SIT has also detained several suspected liquor mafias for questioning. “We are also interrogating few other suspects to ascertain how the illicit liquor were being sold in Saran,” the SP said.

After the hooch tragedy in Saran, which has hogged national limelight, the Saran police have launched an operation to identify and arrest people suspected to be involved in illicit liquor trade, transportation, smuggling and brewing.

Meanwhile, senior BJP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sushil Kumar Modi on Sunday accused the state government of suppressing the death figures and also allegedly failing to curb the illicit liquor trade in Bihar. “The government is showing an insensitive approach towards the victims of the Saran hooch tragedy by denying compensation to families of those who died after consuming illicit liquor in Saran recently,” he added.