Bihar police on Thursday arrested a liquor mafia, who is also said to be a key accused in the April 14 and 15 hooch tragedies in Bihar’s East Champaran district that claimed at least 31 lives.
In a press release issued by district police, East Champaran’s superintendent of police (SP) Kantesh Kumar Mishra said that they arrested one Rajesh Sahni, a resident of Nathupura in North Delhi.
He was arrested under Alipur police station limits in Delhi, said the SP.
“Based on the inputs provided by those arrested in connection with the hooch incident, the security personnel recovered some documents which led to the revelation of names who were responsible for the transportation of spurious liquor in East Champaran,” the release said.
Sahni is one among those whose names surfaced in the course of interrogation of three persons arrested recently, said a police officer, refusing to be identified.
East Champaran police had earlier arrested three people in connection with the April hooch tragedy. The accused were identified as Krishna Sah, Ajay Yadav and Lalan Yadav, all residents of Bihar.
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As per the official record, at least 31 people died and 10 others were reported to be critical after allegedly consuming spurious liquor in parts of the East Champaran district on April 14 and 15.
Following the incident, police at that time arrested 183 people and seized over 1700 litres of country liquor and nearly 50 litres of English liquor during raids.
Earlier, seven excise department inspectors were issued show cause notice for negligence by the East Champaran district magistrate (DM) for the hooch tragedy and suspended Motihari superintendent of police (SP) Kantesh Kumar Mishra suspended five station house officers (SHOs), two anti-liquor task force (ALTF) officials, and nine chowkidars on April 15 and 16 after the hooch incidents came to light.
Under Bihar’s Excise Act, the sale and consumption of alcohol was banned in Bihar by chief minister Nitish Kumar-led government in April 2016.
