But excise department wants Soundar Rajan, whose deadly brew killed 80, booked under the Goonda Act
But excise department wants Soundar Rajan, whose deadly brew killed 80, booked under the Goonda Act
Hooch kingpin Soundar Rajan and wife Satya, responsible for the death of over 80 people in May 2008, were acquitted on Tuesday for lack of evidence.
The court said the few packets of illicit liquor produced before court as evidence were not sufficient to nail him. Also, Soundar was not present at the time of seizure, it said.
However, there are four more criminal cases pending against 38-year-old Soundar.
Taken aback by the acquittal, the excise department wants the city police to book the 38-year-old D J Halli bootlegger under the Goonda Act.
"We are writing a letter to the commissioner of police to book Soundar under the Goonda Act so that his imprisonment can be extended. If he comes out, he will start the business again since he is habitual offender," said deputy superintendent of excise R Ravishankar who is investigating the case. He said Soundar had already been sentenced to six monthsu00a0 imprisonment in 2005 for selling illicit liquor.
Brewing the killer
Ravishankar said a tout in Peenya Industrial Area had sold Soundar and his associate Iqbal methanol, an industrial solvent, instead of spirit. The two wanted to prepare illicit liquor for which there was a great demand after the by-elections. And supply was short since excise officials had raided hooch-preparing points in and around Bangalore.
Soundar and Iqbal were initially suspicious about the chemical they had bought but the seller persuaded them that methanol was a high-quality spirit that would give a kick for a Rs 10 packet.
When Soundar started selling the illicit liquor, he got to know that a few people who had consumed the liquor have died and some were in a coma. Scared out of his wits, Soundar told his wife Satya to throw the remaining stock but Satya refused saying they would incur a huge loss.
If they had stopped the sale on the first day, they would have saved many lives, said Ravishankar.
Soundar was arrested by excise department officials near Salem in May 2008, three days after the tragedy struck D J Halli.
The officials booked Soundar and his wife to judicial custody. After serving nine months in jail during trial, Soundar was produced before the First Traffic court on Tuesday where he was acquitted.
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