Pune hooch tragedy: 6,000 kg of methanol seized in massive crackdown

A day after 17 people died and several others were hospitalised after consuming suspected spurious liquor in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, Maharashtra authorities seized nearly 6,000 kg of toxic methanol from a warehouse in Thane district as an extensive crackdown on the illicit liquor network continued.

The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Saturday said it had seized 5,929 kg of industrial methanol from a warehouse operated by Rex International in Bhiwandi, allegedly linked to the supply chain behind the deadly hooch tragedy.

According to officials, an FDA team raided the premises on Friday and sealed it after the company failed to produce mandatory records, including ledger entries and verification documents required under the Poisons Act. The owners of the firm, Arun Kumar Choubey and Abhishek Asan Kumar Choubey, have been taken into custody by the State Excise Department.

Investigators said the illicit liquor, sold for as little as Rs 30, had been spiked with industrial methanol allegedly sourced from Rex International. The probe revealed that alleged bootlegger Karnelsingh Takhtsingh Virka procured the liquor from Yogesh Ramchandra Wankhede, who in turn allegedly sourced the lethal substance from Radhesham Hariram Prajapati of Uruli Kanchan.

Police traced the methanol supply directly to Rex International, which operates its corporate office in Vashi, Navi Mumbai, and maintains a warehouse in Bhiwandi, officials said.

"The organisation did not possess mandatory verification records under the Poisons Act rules. The entire unaccounted stockpile was seized immediately to prevent further catastrophic misuse," the FDA said in a statement.

The FDA has also issued show-cause notices seeking the permanent cancellation of the company’s operating licences under the Poisons Act.

So far, police have arrested at least eight people in connection with the case, including alleged suppliers and bootleggers. Those arrested include Karnelsingh Takhtsingh Virka (73), Gurmangatsingh Karnelsingh Virka (45), Yogesh Ramchandra Wankhede (23), Radhesham Hariram Prajapati (35), Indarjit Kaur Karnelsingh Virka (60) and Kalpesh Agrawal (29).

Officials said the accused have been booked under various sections, including culpable homicide not amounting to murder, causing hurt by poison, and provisions of the Maharashtra Prohibition Act. Four of the accused have been remanded in police custody till June 8.

The Maharashtra government has transferred the investigation into the tragedy to the Crime Investigation Department (CID). Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis termed the incident “very serious” and said authorities had identified the “entire ecosystem” involved in the illegal liquor network.

"This is a very serious incident. Eight persons have been immediately arrested in this connection, and some more are also likely to be held. We have identified the complete ecosystem behind it," Fadnavis said.

Pune Commissioner of Police Amitesh Kumar said viscera samples of the deceased had been preserved and sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory to determine the precise cause of death. CCTV footage from locations linked to the consumption of the liquor is also being examined.

Doctors treating the victims said many patients exhibited symptoms such as breathing difficulties, acidosis, frothing, dizziness and unconsciousness, signs commonly associated with methanol poisoning.

The deaths cast a pall of gloom over the affected localities of Phugewadi and Hadapsar, where grieving families gathered as police intensified raids and searches linked to the illegal liquor racket.