10 get jail terms in 2009 Ahmedabad hooch tragedy

A sessions court in Ahmedabad Thursday sentenced 10 people to jail terms ranging from two to 10 years in a 2009 hooch tragedy in which 23 people had died.

Additional sessions judge D P Mahida acquitted 12 others in the case.

The case, registered at Kagdapith police station, was part of larger tragedy which unfolded between July 5 and July 7, 2009 and claimed lives of 148 people in total.

Cases were registered in this connection at 19 police stations.

It is considered to be one of the worst hooch tragedies in Gujarat, a state where liquor is prohibited.

The court Thursday awarded 10 years' imprisonment to main accused Vinod alias Dagri, while his aide Arvind Solanki was sentenced to seven years in jail.

Eight women, accused of distributing the spurious and toxic liquor, were sentenced to two years in jail under the Prohibition Act.

Special prosecutor Amit Patel said the accused were convicted under various charges including "culpable homicide not amounting to murder" under section 304 of the IPC.

Two absconding accused were held only two weeks ago, and they would be tried separately, he said.

Dagri manufactured spurious liquor in Kheda district and sold it with the help of Solanki, the prosecution said.

Two policemen were among the 12 accused who were acquitted for lack of evidence.

There were a total of 26 accused in the present case, of which two died after drinking the same toxic brew which they had helped make and distribute.

In all, 148 people lost their lives and 249 were adversely affected between July 5 and July 7, 2009 after drinking spurious liquor. The largest number of deaths -- 33 -- were reported under the Odhav police station limits.

The trials of cases registered at other police stations are at advanced stages of hearing.