MP man among 13 held in Bhavnagar hooch tragedy case, 27 arrests so far

The State Monitoring Cell of the Gujarat Police has apprehended an additional 13 individuals in connection with the Bhavnagar hooch tragedy, bringing the total number of arrests to 27. Among those arrested is a key accused from Madhya Pradesh, Anand Rakesh Chhandi. The SMC, directly under the control of the Gujarat DGP, announced the arrests on August 23, granting them police custody until September 2.

The 13 accused hail from Bhavnagar, while the previous 13 were arrested on August 21 and August 22. Chhandi is believed to have played a significant role in the conspiracy to sell poisonous liquor, as the chemical used to make it originated from him. The other arrested individuals were all residents of Bhavnagar and played crucial roles in the supply chain, including supplying bottles, storing them, and selling them to unsuspecting consumers.

The SMC took over the investigation on August 19, following the filing of an FIR in Vartej police station, which initially booked 21 persons for culpable homicide not amounting to murder. Superintendent of Police Mayur Chavda, leading the investigation, has deployed 16 teams across various districts to trace the origin of Methanol and other chemicals used in the toxic liquor, their transportation to Gujarat, and the individuals involved in the supply chain.

Notably, Narendrasinh Yadav, also known as Doctor, who allegedly brewed the tainted liquor, passed away on August 18 after consuming it.