Mumbai hooch tragedy: Methanol was sold as liquor, reveals FSL report

Cops had send 22 samples from the 1,200 litres of hooch seized from the godown of one of the accused at Malwani.

A preliminary chemical test has revealed that the men responsible for 102 people in the Malwani area dying after drinking ‘spurious liquor,’ had been selling methanol as liquor, crime branch officers said.

People-mourn-next-to-the-body-of-a-man-who-died-after-consuming-spurious-liquor-in-Mumbai-on-Saturday-Reuters-File-Photo

The police had seized 1,200 litres of the killer brew from one of the accused, Francis D’Mello’s, Malwani godown on Sunday.

Following the seizure, the crime branch sent 22 samples of the seized liquid to the Kalina Forensic Science Laboratory.

A source from FSL said they tested a few samples on an urgent basis considering the seriousness of the case. It was necessary for us to get a report to understand the course of the investigation, said a crime branch officer.

The reports of the samples were submitted to the crime branch on Wednesday, the police said.

The report contains the chemical composition of the alleged ‘spurious liquor’, but FSL sources have confirmed that it was methanol found in the samples. The samples of the victims’ urine and blood samples also had traces of methanol in it, said crime branch sources.

Methanol, which is also known as industrial alcohol, is not meant for consumption, the police said.