The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of Maharashtra is currently investigating a tragic incident involving illicit liquor in Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad. As part of their inquiry, authorities have apprehended a father and son who operate a company suspected of supplying methanol to a primary suspect in the case. This individual is accused of mixing the toxic substance with illegal alcoholic beverages. The CID has confirmed that the consumption of this methanol-contaminated liquor has resulted in 20 fatalities.
To date, the deadly liquor has led to 20 confirmed deaths—16 in the Phugewadi-Dapodi region of Pimpri Chinchwad and four in the Hadapsar locality of Pune. Police stations in Dapodi and Hadapsar have registered separate cases against those involved in the illicit liquor trade, citing relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Maharashtra Prohibition Act.
The Maharashtra CID has taken over the investigation, which has already led to several arrests, including that of Yogesh Ramchandra Vhankade, known by the alias Sikandar Rathod, and Radheshyam Prajapati. Investigators found that Vhankade had purchased illegal liquor from Prajapati in Uruli Kanchan and subsequently mixed it with methanol for distribution in various locations throughout Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad.
A recent press release from the CID stated, “In light of the evidence collected, two individuals responsible for supplying chemicals involved in the crime have been detained. They are identified as Arun Jagdamb Choubey, aged 59, and Abhishek Arun Choubey, aged 34. They were presented in a Pimpri Chinchwad court and have been remanded to police custody for four days.” With these arrests, the total number of individuals in CID custody has risen to eight.
According to officials, the Choubeys operate Rex International in Bhiwandi, where Vhankade reportedly sourced methanol via a business-to-business online marketplace. The pair had previously been arrested by Navi Mumbai police following a raid conducted by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), during which significant quantities of methanol were confiscated from their business premises. The CID later took custody of the Choubeys after establishing their involvement in the ongoing investigation.
