The Madras High Court has ordered a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the Kallakurichi hooch tragedy, which claimed the lives of approximately 67 people after they consumed illicitly brewed arrack. The tragedy has brought renewed attention to the recurring issue of spurious liquor sales in Tamil Nadu.
The directive was issued by a bench comprising Justice D. Krishnakumar and Justice P.B. Balaji. They instructed the CBI to expedite its investigation and directed the Crime Branch-Criminal Investigation Department (CB-CID) to transfer all case files and provide full cooperation to the central agency. The order was delivered in response to multiple petitions seeking a CBI inquiry into the incident.
The petitioners argued that the Kallakurichi incident exposed systemic failures in preventing the sale and consumption of spurious liquor. They contended that such hooch tragedies are not new in Tamil Nadu and that the state machinery, including the police and revenue authorities, had failed to act effectively.
Citing public dissatisfaction, the petitioners pointed to the transfer of the district collector and the suspension of the Commissioner of Police as indicators of deeper issues within the system. “The people have lost faith in the investigating agency and the State itself,“ they argued.
Concerns were also raised about inter-state implications, with Methanol—the chemical responsible for the tragedy—allegedly sourced from Puducherry. The petitioners insisted that this required an investigation beyond state borders, making the CBI the appropriate agency to handle the case.
The Advocate General (AG) opposed the CBI probe, asserting that the state government had already taken extensive measures to address the tragedy. The AG highlighted that senior officials, including the Superintendent of Police, had been suspended, and the Additional Director General of Police (Enforcement) was removed from their post.
To further investigate the matter, the state government appointed a one-man commission led by Justice (Retd.) B. Gokuldas. “The investigation has been transferred to the CB-CID, which has completed significant progress,” the AG informed the court.
The AG revealed that 24 individuals had been arrested, the Methanol source had been traced, and witnesses were examined. “The CB-CID is awaiting serology and toxicology reports before filing a charge sheet,“ the AG stated, arguing that transferring the case to the CBI at this stage would force the investigation to restart from scratch.
Petitioners criticized the CB-CID’s handling of previous hooch tragedies, describing their investigations as inadequate and contributing to public frustration. They argued that transferring the case to the CBI would ensure impartiality and prevent a repeat of past investigative failures.
The Kallakurichi tragedy has reignited debates about the state’s persistent challenges in curbing the sale of spurious liquor. Tamil Nadu has witnessed multiple incidents of methanol-laced alcohol causing mass casualties, raising questions about enforcement and accountability in tackling the problem.
As the CBI takes over the investigation, the central agency’s findings and actions will likely play a critical role in addressing these systemic issues and ensuring justice for the victims of the Kallakurichi tragedy.
(With inputs from LiveLaw)
Subscribe to our Telegram, WhatsApp, and Instagram channels and get the best stories of the day delivered to you personally.