By Express News Service
BHOPAL: Statewide crackdown against illicit liquor mafia in Madhya Pradesh in the wake of the recent hooch tragedy in Morena district has led to the seizure of illicit liquor from the house of a women wing leader of the ruling BJP.
Identified as Lalita Raje, the BJP Mahila Morcha head in Pohri sub-division of Shivpuri district of Gwalior-Chambal region has been arrested and booked under the provisions of the Excise Act.
Importantly, the arrested BJP Mahila Morcha leader is considered to close to Jyotiraditya Scindia-loyalist MP minister Suresh Dhakad Rathkheda. The minister who is now BJP MLA from Pohri seat was among the 18 former Congress MLAs, who had retained their seats on BJP tickets in November 2020 assembly by-polls.
A joint team of excise department, district administration and police raided the house of the BJP women wing leader and seized drums containing illicit liquor. The team also seized drums containing chemicals used for making illicit liquor. The arrested BJP Mahila Morcha leader was subsequently sent into judicial custody on Wednesday evening.
A statewide crackdown against the illicit liquor makers and distributors has started from Wednesday on CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s orders across the state in the wake of the recent hooch tragedy.
Meanwhile, the death toll in the recent hooch tragedy which hit three villages of Morena district of the same Gwalior-Chambal region mounted to 24 on Thursday.
“So far 24 people have died and over 12 others are hospitalized,” IG Chambal Range Manoj Sharma told The New Indian Express on Thursday.
Also, a high-level fact finding committee headed by state’s additional chief secretary (ACS-Home) Rajesh Rajoura and also comprising additional DG of Police (ADG) Sai Manohar and DIG-PHQ Mithilesh Shukla visited the hooch tragedy affected Morena district as well as adjoining Gwalior to conduct an on spot probe into the matter.
“The matter is under investigation, so we can’t disclose the details of the probe. The probe report which covers all aspects of the poisonous liquor tragedy will soon be submitted to the state government in Bhopal. Two named accused have already been arrested, while searches are underway for remaining accused,” ACS (Home) Rajesh Rajoura said in Gwalior on Thursday.
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