Pune (Maharashtra) [India], May 30 : The State Excise Department has suspended 13 officials, including three Inspectors, six Sub-Inspectors and four other staff members, in connection with the illicit liquor consumption deaths case in Pune, a senior officer said.
Atul Kanade, Superintendent of the State Excise Department in Pune, said the suspensions were carried out following deaths reported from both the Pune City Police jurisdiction and the Pimpri-Chinchwad Police jurisdiction.
Meanwhile, ACP Pimpri Sachin Hire on Friday revealed that two accused have been officially arrested by them so far. Both of them are allegedly involved in the supply chain of alcohol. He said that forensics examination is going to take place.
"People died due to spurious liquor in Dapodi. We have registered the case under stringent sections, including those for culpable homicide. Five accused have been nabbed by us so far, and we have formally arrested two of them... An investigation is underway. The two accused who we have formally arrested will be produced before the court," he told ANI.
"Of them, one is a Wankhede, who is a middle chain, and another is a Prajapati, who makes supplies from Pune. He had prepared a deadly combination. Everything is being investigated. We will unearth the entire supply chain. We have collected samples and we are about to send this forensics," he added.
NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar also raised concerns about the issue, stating that the police department is inactive and alleged a link between the police and the "illegal business".
"In the last two or three days, almost eight people have died from bad-quality, illegal liquor. Police claim these deaths are due to heart attacks or other reasons, which seems like an attempt to hide the truth and protect those running the illegal trade. In Pune, murders have happened in broad daylight, and crimes against women have increased... The police department is inactive. These eight deaths are only the reported ones; there may be more. If the state government and the police department of Pune are not taking this thing seriously, that means the police department is also involved in this illegal business," he told reporters.
This liquor controversy has resulted in public anger, not only against the police, but also against the State Excise Department. Citizens have also raised serious questions regarding the operations of both these departments.
The Forensic Department has also completed its analysis of the adulterated liquor and has submitted its report to the Dapodi Police Station. Preliminary findings from the investigation reportedly confirm the presence of chemical and toxic substances adulterated within the liquor.