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Main accused in Bihar hooch tragedy arrested in Delhi: Police
The accused has been identified as Ram Babu Mahto(45), a resident of Doila village in Saran, said special commissioner of police (crime branch), Delhi, Ravindra Singh Yadav
New Delhi/Patna: The main accused in the biggest hooch tragedy in Bihar that claimed at least 70 lives in Saran district earlier this month, was arrested by the Delhi police on Saturday, officers said, adding that he was wanted in seven cases of excise act in the dry state.
The accused has been identified as Ram Babu Mahto(45), a resident of Doila village in Saran, said special commissioner of police (crime branch), Delhi, Ravindra Singh Yadav.
“Mahto was one of the key players in the entire episode where several people lost their lives. When the Bihar Police was searching for him, he shifted his locations and absconded from Bihar,” Yadav said, adding he was wanted in two cases registered in connection with the Saran hooch tragedy. “The information was worked upon quickly by a dedicated team to nab him at the earliest.”
Following the arrest, Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar said he has ordered strict actions against the accused. “Government is keeping a close watch. We have been investigating this case right after the incident took place,” he said. “The majority of people are in favour of the liquor ban. I have ordered to take strict actions against the accused.”
According to the Delhi police, Mahto was apprehended on Friday evening based on information about his hiding in Dwarka. The Bihar Police confirmed about his involvement in the recent hooch tragedy, following which his arrest was affected, said a senior police officer. “He had been in Delhi for about 10 days to evade arrest. It has been ascertained that he played an important role in mixing and manufacturing of spurious liquor,” the officer said, requesting anonymity.
Additional director general (ADG) Bihar police headquarters, Jitendra Singh Gangwar told HT that Mahto was named as accused in two separate first information reports (FIRs) registered in connection with the hooch tragedy in Masrakh sub-division of Saran district. “He fled to New Delhi after the incident. Police got the information that Mahto was hiding at his relative’s house at Dwarka,” Gangwar said. “Subsequently, the Bihar police sought help from their Delhi counterparts.”
A five-member team has been sent to Delhi and the accused will be brought to Chhapra on a transit remand for further questioning, said Saran superintendent of police (SP) Santosh Kumar.
Mahto was involved in manufacture and distribution of liquor mixed with spirit, homeopathy medicine and chemicals. His name cropped up during the interrogation of one Sanjay Mahto, a resident of Doila village, who was also hospitalised after consuming spurious liquor.
“Rajesh Singh alias Doctor, a native of Jalalpur, and Shailendra Kumar were the man who supplied homeopathy medicines and spirit to Ram Babu Mahto to prepare liquor to distribute among the victims. Sanjay claimed that Ram Babu is the person who delivered liquor at his home,” the SP said, adding that police raided Mahto’s house and recovered chemical and homeopathy medicine bottles.
Between 2018 and 2022, Saran police have lodged six cases against Mahto in connection with liquor smuggling and manufacturing.
So far, Bihar police have arrested 17 accused in connection with the Saran hooch tragedy, including a homeopathy medicine supplier from Varanasi, Sanjiv Kumar Srivastava.
