Preventing diversion of methanol to liquor dens top priority: cops

The police and excise departments were asked to go to the root of the problem and take measures against those involved in its illicit trade.

What has come as very disturbing to the top police brass was the death of two persons by direct consumption of methanol which a bootlegger had supplied in the Old City area in the garb of desi liquor.

Investigations have revealed that one Imran Abdul Hameed Bagban,a resident of Juhapura,had sold methanol to the unsuspecting victims. Bagban had received the delivery from one Hashimbhai,a resident of Muhammed Ali Road in Mumbai.

Investigators said that the unscrupulous distillers or bootleggers had added methanol to increase the potency of the liquor despite knowing that it was poisonous. As both methanol and ethyl alcohol or spirit tasted similar and were colourless,consumers were not aware of what they were consuming.

Tonnes of methanol is used by industries in Gujarat and other states,and investigators believe that some of it might be getting diverted to bootleggers or local brewers in connivance with drivers and cleaners of transport vehicles.

The industries get their supplies from the Bharuch–based Gujarat Narmada Valley Fertiliser Company (GNFC) as well as through imports at Kandla Port.

According to Excise Department officials,about 400 methanol tankers pass through the state daily,carrying the chemical to different parts of the country.

Deputy Director (Excise and Prohibition) B J Dave said there is strict regulation over the supply of methanol to industrial users,making its diversion from industries extremely difficult. According to him,industries have to take two licences for using methanol — one from the concerned police commissioner or the district magistrate under the Gujarat Poisonous Rules of 1963,and the other under the Methyl Alcohol Rules,1981,for purposes of keeping stocks of it.

Dave said methanol has never been reported to have been diverted from industries “We conduct regular checks of the stock at industries to ensure that the chemical is not pilfered,” he said.

But despite strict regulations,methanol has time and again been found to have been pilfered and diverted for mixing with spirit,to prepare spurious liquor,sometimes leading to tragedies when the proportion of methanol went high.

Dave said that methanol is so cheap that no industrialist will ever be attracted to sell it to bootleggers.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime Branch) Abhay Chudasma said that sleuths had already arrested Vadodara-based Jayesh Thakkar who reportedly sold methanol to bootleggers involved in this year’s hooch tragedy. Sleuths were keeping a watch on other chemical/solvent thieves,he added.

Joint Commissioner of Police ( Sector 1) Mohan Jha said whether methanol came from Mumbai or from local chemical pilferers,it was high priority for the police to stop its pilferage. “We are determined to go to the root of the menace and stamp it out completely,” he said.

DGP Khandwawala could not be contacted despite several efforts.