Bihar hooch tragedy accused nabbed from New Delhi

NEW DELHI: The Delhi Police Crime Branch on Saturday claimed to have arrested one of the key accused in the Chhapra spurious liquor case which took over 70 lives earlier this month.

The accused, identified as Ram Babu Mahto was arrested from Dwarka area, the police said, adding, that he was previously involved in seven other cases.

According to special Commissioner of Police (CP) Crime Branch Ravinder Yadav, "Information was received and developed by the Inter-State Cell, Crime Branch, Chankyapuri, Delhi that one Ram Babu Mahto wanted in the case related to spurious liquor tragedy in Bihar, may be hiding somewhere in Delhi".

"On the basis of technical surveillance as well as specific inputs, the accused Ram Babu Mahto from Bihar's Doila, was arrested from the area of Dwarka in Delhi," Yadav said.

"Appropriate legal action is being taken and information about the arrest of the accused has been shared with Bihar Police for further action," CP Yadav added.

Yadav added that Bihar Police was contacted and it was established that accused Ram Babu Mahto is one of the most wanted in 2022 case under the Bihar Excise Act- 2016 registered at Police Station Mashrak, District Saran in Bihar.

"Ram Babu Mahto was one of the key players in the entire episode where several people lost their lives. When Bihar Police were searching for him, he fled from Bihar," Yadav added.

Police said Ram Babu belongs to a farming family and has four brothers and two sisters. He is a Class 8 dropout.

"Ram Babu claimed that his family is in bad financial condition. However, owing to the prohibition of liquor in the state of Bihar, he sensed an opportunity to make quick and easy money and indulged in manufacturing and selling spurious Liquor," Yadav said.

As per the information available so far, he is involved in several cases of illicit liquor business, the police said.