Hooch deaths: chemical trader held

Police have arrested the alleged mastermind behind the supply of spurious-liquor that claimed six lives and left 17 hospitalised in Kannaur area under Bahadur Garh police station of Ghaziabad last week, officials said Tuesday.

Police have arrested the alleged mastermind behind the supply of spurious-liquor that claimed six lives and left 17 hospitalised in Kannaur area under Bahadur Garh police station of Ghaziabad last week, officials said Tuesday.

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Ajay Kumar Gupta (45), a chemical businessman and his accomplice, Chatar Pal Singh (42), were arrested from a chemical plant in Kadrabad after intensive raids on Sunday, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Raguvir Lal said.

Gupta is stated to be a resident of Madhav Puram area of Meerut and also runs a chemical business at Bhrampuri in Meerut.

“The liquid (that Gupta) supplied is suspected to contain high-levels of formaldehyde that led to the death of six people,” the SSP said.

Gupta also supplied methyl alcohol and rectified spirit — used to making liquor — to various parts of Western Uttar Pradesh and several areas in the national capital region, police said.

Officials said both the accused would be booked under the National Security Act (NSA) and the Gangster Act apart from the other IPC sections such as 304 and 272.