Mumbai : Following the death of 53 persons in the Malwani hooch tragedy, the police have unearthed a racket that supplied spurious liquor in Malwani, Aksa beach, Dana Paani beach and Vasai-Virar areas. The Mumbai Crime Branch that has taken over the probe into the incident had arrested Raju Langada on Thursday. While the police arrested two more people – Gautam Avde and Donald Robert – yesterday, the supposed kingpin of the racket Jantil, Francis and alias Diana alias Akka managed to escape.
Sources say that the crime branch is investigating into how the message of a probable raid got leaked to them.
The black sheep
The other theory that’s making the round is that somebody from the local gunda branch had passed the information to the accused, and even helped them in running the racket in area for which he was handsomely paid. According to the sources, the police are trying to identify that ‘black sheep’ and would take strict action against him.
Meanwhile, the police suspended eight officials from Malwani police station, including senior Police Inspector of Malwani police station Prakash Patil, three officers and four constables.
The three suspended officers have been identified as Jagdish Panhale (assistant police inspector), Shankar Gharge (police sub-inspector), and Manisha Shirsat (police sub-inspector). The four constables who faced the axe are Ram Milan Singh, Arun Jadhav, Sanjay Mane and Vilas Desai. All the eight officials were suspended on charges of being negligent while on duty.
Modus Operandi
Sources claim that the gang operated from the Borivali National Park. About a year ago, it was found that more than a dozen hooch brewing units are operating illegally inside the park premise. The liquor made there was then supplied to country liquor bars, or sold in illegal dens in the area that mostly cater to labour-class clientele. The gang usually hires tribal women who tie tubes filled with liquor on their belly and smuggle it outside the forest wearing loose fitting clothing.
[alert type=”e.g. warning, danger, success, info” title=””]53 dead, 12 critical
So far, 53 people have died in the hooch tragedy, while another 28 victims are still undergoing treatment in various hospitals. “Medical condition of at least 12 is critical,” police spokesperson Dhananjay Kulkarni said. The toll was 20 on Friday noon, and suddenly shot up to 53 with 33 people dying at short intervals and more being admitted with symptoms of poisoning.[/alert]
