How AI-assisted research ‘fuelled’ a spurious liquor racket in Madhya Pradesh’s Dewas

An alleged spurious liquor racket in Madhya Pradesh's Dewas district emerged after a 26-year-old man allegedly used artificial intelligence tools to research home-brewing techniques between September and October 2. Armed with partial knowledge gained through AI, Ajay Rathore, the alleged main accused, procured industrial chemicals from Indore to manufacture the illicit liquor.

Investigators are examining connections between the alleged deaths of 13 individuals in Chandana and Binjana villages since September 27, awaiting forensic testing to determine if the counterfeit liquor was involved. The Dewas district administration initially dismissed claims linking the deaths to the spurious liquor, but a police probe has uncovered an illicit liquor smuggling network.

Police sealed a warehouse linked to the chemical procurement and are collecting samples for examination, while samples of the suspected counterfeit liquor will be sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory for analysis. Additional arrests have been made, including Vishal Chouhan, Rameshwar Singh Songara, and Satyendra Ojha, who allegedly supplied caps for the discarded bottles.

The investigation extends to the supply chain, with police probing the involvement of individuals who helped distribute the liquor in the affected villages.