KATHMANDU, Jan 31: Metropolitan Police Circle Office, Balaju, has busted a criminal gang involved in manufacturing and supplying adulterated liquor to various parts of the country.
Police also seized a huge amount of the adulterated liquor and equipment and ingredients used for faking liquor of various brands. The seized liquor includes all popular brands like Virgin, Ruslan Vodka, Khukuri Rum, Signature and Royal Stag. [break]
The bust comes in the wake of the government banning some liquor products after one person who consumed the liquor died and many others took ill. Some of them have lost their eyesight.
Police have seized a total 626 liters of Khukuri Rum and 1,597 liters of Virgin brand liquor from those arrested. Police officials claim that thousands of liters of fake liquor was destroyed for fear of prosecution after they began massive raids. Police have carried out raids in at least 12 places in the Valley.
Among other things, police seized bottles, lids, stickers and ingredients used for making the liquor. It has been revealed that the accused used to bring stickers from Calcutta with the help of one Sanjeev Kumar Gupta.
Police have initiated cases against six persons on charges of attempted murder, against10 others for black marketeering and against 10 more on social offense charges. They were arrested from various parts of the Valley and were either manufacturers and suppliers or accomplices in the organized racket.
Those charged with attempted murder include Man Bahadur Ghalan Lama of Lachyang VDC-1, Nuwakot, Uddhav Prasad Pathak of Chhatredeurali VDC-9, Dhading, and Puran Chaudhary of Sohanpur VDC-2, Dang. Gukul Pudasaini of Jiling VDC-2, Nuwakot, Milan Karki of Sunarpani VDC-4, Ramechhap and Surendra Chaudhari of Adouri-15, Sihar district in India are also facing the same charges.
Milan Karki was involved in manufacturing the fake liquor. He admitted that he had been supplying the liquor to various parts of the country including Nepalgunj over the past several months.
Likewise, police have initiated legal action on black marketeering and social offense charges against Krishna Prasad Khanal of Tadang VDC-2, Gorkha, Sabin Upreti of Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC), New Bus Park, and Ganesh Bahadur Kutal, Babu Ram Aryal, Mohan Moktan and Dhan Kumari Tamang of Gangabu, Kathmandu. Police are also prosecuting four others –Binod Prasad Sah aka Binod, Sanjeev Kumar Pritam Rouniyar, Laxman Hirachan and Som Juharchan.
Police made the arrests and seizures acting on tip-offs by the victims. At least one person has died and five others including a policeman fell ill in the Valley so far after consuming the liquor.
According to police, Birbal Tamang Bamjon of Arunthakur VDC-2, Sindhuli, died while undergoing treatment at TU Teaching Hospital, Maharajgunj, after consuming the fake liquor. Gokul Prasad Ghimire, Thakkar Prasad Sharma, Gokul Prasad Ghimire, Sub-Inspector Ramesh Sharma Poudel and Khagendra Poudel are still undergoing treatment at various Valley hospitals. Sub-Inspector Poudel currently serves with the Balaju Police Circle Office.
Talking to media, Superintendent of Police Nawa Raj Silwal, chief of Metropolitan Police Range Office, Kathmandu, said Raj Kumar Bhandari, one of the key accused and his accomplices are still at large and police personnel have been mobilized to arrest them. Police have recovered various things including a motorcycle from Bhandari´s rented room at Gangabu.
On the occasion, SP Silwal asked all those consuming liquor to check to make sure it is not fake. “I appeal to all to be cautious while consuming liquor,” he said.
