Mumbai : Out of the 90 people who died after consuming spurious liquor, seven were laid to rest at the St Anthony Church in Malwani on Saturday. However, the investigation in the case seems to be taking place at a pace which is inversely proportional to increase in death toll.
Though the police have already arrested five accused in the case, but the prime accused – Mainka Bai alias Akka – is still on the run. “Earlier too, we had booked Akka in connection with spurious liquor but she managed to get bail,” said Mumbai Police spokesperson Dhanajay Kulkarni.
The police on Thursday had arrested Raju Langda for selling the liquor to victims. When asked of the involvement of local police officers in the racket, he reportedly said that he used to pay them Rs 600 daily. While eight personnel attached to Malwani police station have been suspended after the disclosure, the police haven’t been able to find out the person who leaked the information of a raid to the gang after which Akka went underground and is still untraceable.
Meanwhile, the police have launched a search for others who might have consumed spurious liquor that day. “We are checking every home in the vicinity and asking them whether they consumed liquor on that day. We found eight such persons and have admitted them to a nearby hospital,” an official said.
“Police commissioner Rakesh Maria has instructed all DCPs to crack down on illicit liquor shops and this raid is the operative part of Maria’s instruction,” he added.
Shatabdi Hospital: 57
Samanya Hospital: 04
Prime Hospital: 03
Sneha Hospital: 01
Oscar Hospital: 05
Siddhart Hospital: 01
Raksha Hospital: 02
Nair Hospital: 06
KEM Hospital: 03
Atlantis Hospital: 01
Hospitalised
Shatabdi Hospital: 02
Nair Hospital: 14
Sion Hospital: 03
KEM Hospital: 02
Raksha Hospital: 02
Atlantis Hospital: 01
Oscar Hospital: 04
Siddharth Hospital: 01
Meanwhile, four Excise officials were suspended on Saturday. “Departmental inquiry would be launched soon against Jagdeesh Deshmukh, Rajendra Salunkhe, Varsha Vengulkar and Dhanaji Dalvi,” informed said State Excise Department commissioner Shyamsundar Shinde, adding, “These officials were found to be incompetent and prima facie it is a case of dereliction of duty.”
The Excise department in the last one year booked 117 cases of distribution of hooch in Malwani.
[alert type=”e.g. warning, danger, success, info” title=””]Govt protecting illegal businesses, accuses Cong
Mumbai : MPCC chief and former Chief Minister Ashok Chavan criticised the State government for not being able to keep a tab on the illicit liquor trade and has asked the State government for a tough action.
He also demanded that the kin of all the victims of the Malvani hooch tragedy should be adequately compensated by the state government.
“Illicit businesses have the State government’s protection and hence such incidents take place. Police and excise department officials turn a blind eye to illicit liquor trade. Responsibility needs to be fixed and officials need to be held accountable. The tragedy has exposed the poor functioning of the home and excise departments,” Chavan told reporters here on Saturday.
Merely action against junior officials will not help but the kingpins of these trades should be ferreted out, he said, demanding a thorough probe. The government should clarify if it was serious in tackling such elements and whether it proposed to provide financial assistance to the kin of the dead, Chavan said.
The hooch incident occurred at Laxmi Nagar slum near Gamdevi Jurassic park in suburban Malad on Wednesday night.
Chavan also criticised the government over the reports that banks were not willing to reschedule crop loans.
“The state is receiving good rains and farmers need money. We are in sowing season. Instead of making bland statements, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis should persuade the Centre to direct the banks to comply with the state government’s directive regarding rescheduling of crop loans,” he said. [/alert]
