Main accused in Mumbai hooch tragedy held

Six days after Mumbai’s worst hooch tragedy, which has claimed 102 lives so far, the man who allegedly supplied the brew was on Tuesday arrested. Also, the Maharashtra government ordered a probe by state Chief Secretary Swadheen Kshatriya into the incident.

Mansoor Ali, alias Atiq, said to be the main supplier of the spurious liquor, was apprehended by a joint team of the Crime Branch of Mumbai police and North-east Delhi police from Seelampur in the national capital, officials said, in Delhi.

Mansoor was on the run after the death toll began mounting and was being sheltered by a “link”.

On getting a tip-off, Mumbai police sought help of Delhi counterparts and succeeded in tracking down the link, who gave information leading to Mansoor’s arrest.

Mansoor, according to sources, had smuggled the hooch to Mumbai from Gujarat, where liquor is prohibited. His father, too, was claimed to have been involved in the illegal trade.

The Maharashtra government has announced a high-level probe into the tragedy by its top-most official.

“The government has ordered a probe under the chief secretary to enquire into the deaths caused in the unfortunate Malwani hooch tragedy,” Excise Minister Eknath Khadse said.

Chief Secretary Swadheen Kshatriya has been asked to conclude the probe and submit a report to the government in three months, he said.

The death toll from the city's worst such tragedy had risen to 102 last night, while over 40 people have been taken ill.

So far, seven persons have been arrested in the case and eight police and four excise officials suspended. All of those arrested are in police custody.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who was briefed by Crime Branch officials about the ongoing investigation, meanwhile, said he wanted capital punishment for those responsible for the tragedy.

"I want to see most severe punishment for the culprits. They should be hanged," an official in the Chief Minister's Office quoted Fadnavis as having told the officials.

Fadnavis asked them to build a "watertight" case against the accused, the CMO official said.