Prime accused in Malvani hooch tragedy held in Ahmedabad

A key accused in Malvani hooch tragedy, which claimed over a hundred lives, was arrested by Ahmedabad police. After his arrest on Tuesday based on a tip-off by Mumbai police, the accused Bharat Patel, 42, was brought to Mumbai on Wednesday, police said.

"Patel is a prime accused who used to buy chemicals illegally from trucks and tankers and then sell the material to other accused who have been earlier arrested in this case by police," DCP (Detection) Dhananjay Kulkarni said. According to the officer, the Mumbai crime branch passed on the information about Patel on Tuesday to Ahmedabad police.

"We informed about the exact location of Patel to Ahmedabad police who arrested him on Tuesday from Chand Lodhia area in Ahmedabad," Kulkarni said.

Patel was produced in a local court that remanded him in police custody. With his arrest, the total number of accused held in the case has gone up to 14.

At least 102 people had died after consuming spurious liquor consumption at Malvani area in Malad.