Gujarat SMC arrests 13, detains MP-based key suspect for toxic liquor that killed 7
Bhavnagar collector Manish Bansal said 32 people were undergoing treatment at hospitals and nine others had been discharged.
Gujarat’s State Monitoring Cell (SMC) has made significant arrests in connection with a toxic liquor incident that claimed seven lives. Thirteen individuals were apprehended, and a key suspect from Madhya Pradesh, Raees, has been detained and transported to Gujarat. Among the deceased is Narendra Singh Yadav, also known as Doctor, who hails from Madhya Pradesh and died after consuming the lethal concoction.
Bhavnagar collector Manish Bansal reported that 32 people are currently receiving medical treatment, while nine others have recovered.
The SMC, a specialized unit tasked with enforcing prohibition laws in Gujarat, received an initial report from Bhavnagar, leading to the arrest of 13 out of 21 suspects mentioned in the first information report (FIR). The FIR accuses Gautam Virambhai Solanki, 24, of Vartej, along with his associates Raees and Zuber, of manufacturing the spurious liquor at Solanki’s residence.
The trio reportedly traveled to Ahmedabad to procure essential materials, including methanol, bottles, caps, and stickers of a popular whisky brand. The first batch, approximately 51 cases, was distributed through Solanki and his brother-in-law Jatin. After this initial production, Yadav was brought in to refine the process for a subsequent batch.
The deadly mixture, characterized by an alarming 38.59% methanol content and a mere 0.94% ethanol, was first ingested at a farmhouse party in Kharakadi village on August 16. Subsequent tests on seized bottles confirmed the lethal composition. A second batch, identified as substandard, was destroyed. Raees allegedly introduced Yadav to the group, who subsequently prepared about 25 more cases, distributing them to bootleggers and consumers in Bhavnagar.
The incident initially registered as an accidental death in Vartej police station on August 18 prompted further investigations by Gujarat's DGP, leading to the SMC’s extensive operation.
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