NEW DELHI: The Crime Branch of Delhi Police on Saturday arrested the alleged mastermind of Bihar hooch tragedy, identified as Ram Babu Mahto, a resident of Doila village in Saran district.
The arrested Ram Babu Mahto is known to be one of the most wanted accused, the police said, adding that he was arrested from Delhi's Dwarka area.
The recent hooch tragedy killed more than 70 people who consumed the illegal liquor in Bihar.
Two cases are registered against Mahto at Mashrak, and Isuapur police stations in Saran district. According to information by the police, he is accused of involvement in several illicit liquor cases.
Special Commissioner of Police (Crime) Ravindra Singh Yadav informed that a tip- off that Mahto may be hiding somewhere in Delhi was received by the Inter-State Cell of the Crime Branch.
Yadav also said that Mahto was nabbed from Dwarka on the strength of technical surveillance, added to specific inputs received by them.
Delhi Police's Crime Branch stated that appropriate legal action was being taken against Mahto and that information about his arrest in Delhi has been transmitted to Bihar for further action by Bihar Police.
According to police in Bihar, more than 70 people died in the latest round of tragic incidents which occurred from the sale and consumption of spurious liquor in the state.
The Bihar assembly witnessed a political slugfest in the aftermath of the tragic incident that happened recently, where opposition leaders launched an attack on Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar on the large number of deaths caused by spurious liquor.
The Nitish Kumar government had clamped a liquor ban in Bihar on April 6, 2016.
The police said the accused took advantage of the opportunity to make quick and easy money due to the prohibition of liquor in Bihar. They started manufacturing and selling spurious liquor to meet the demand, which led to the death of so many people.
On the arrest of main accused of the Bihar's Chapra hooch tragedy, Bihar CM Nitish Kumar commented, "Govt is keeping a close watch. We've been investigating this case right after the incident took place. Majority of people are in favour of liquor ban. I've ordered to take strict actions against the accused."
Earlier on Friday, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Bihar Police scored a success when they arrested five another accused in the Chhapra hooch tragedy which claimed at least 72 lives. Those arrested includes the mastermind of the case Rajesh Singh alias doctor, according to Bihar Police. Shailendra Rai, a resident of Takina village, Sonu Kumar, a resident of Dhupnagar Dhobwal village, and Arjun Mahto and Sanjay Mahto residents of Doyla village are the other arrested. The arrested people used chemicals and sugar in homeopathic medicines to manufacture spurious liquor, police said.
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