Death By Spurious Liquor In Punjab: Plea In High Court Seeks Directions For Probe Into Matter, Role Of Officials Involved

A public interest litigation (PIL) has been filed before the Punjab & Haryana High Court seeking an investigation into the selling of spurious liquor which allegedly caused the deaths of its consumers in Punjab.

It is stated that 21 people died in March due to the spurious liquor which is easily available and is being sold illegally allegedly in connivance with the Police and Excise Officials in Punjab's Sangrur.

Bikramjit Singh Bajwa, a resident of Punjab, has moved the High Court stating that despite the enforcement of a code of conduct and the upcoming parliamentary elections, culprits are being given a free hand to sell spurious liquor with ulterior motives. The deaths have been reported from villages Ravidass Pura, Tibri, Gujran, Oppli, and Dhondoli Khurd of Sangrur District.

The plea alleges that this was the third major incident in Punjab in which several people have died, and neither the culprits had been brought to book nor had the police been able to break down the nexus of gangs who are selling spurious liquor without any fear of the government.

The petitioner submits that during the investigation it was found that the spurious alcohol was mixed with methanol, which is fatal for humans.

Consequently, it also seeks strict guidelines for the sale of methanol so that the fatal incidents can be stopped. 

"It is a high time that a strict guidelines may be framed so that the methanol can only be used for the purpose of which it is made and there should be entry in the register of the State regarding the transport of the methanol or there should be self declaration from each and every industrial unit using methanol regarding the quantity it has used and regarding the quantity which is allotted to the unit and then only the safeguard can be put in the place as the methanol is the essential ingredient and without it the spurious liquor cannot be made," the plea states.

Title: Bikramjit Singh Bajwa v. State of Punjab & Ors.