New Delhi, (Samajweekly) A plea has been moved in the Supreme Court seeking an independent probe by a special investigation team (SIT) into the hooch tragedy in Bihar’s Saran, in which at nearly 60 people have died.
Advocate Pawan Prakash Pathak mentioned the plea before a bench headed by Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud and comprising Justice P.S. Narasimha.
The bench declined to list the petition for urgent hearing and told the lawyer that he has to go through the proper process for the listing of the case. The Supreme Court will go on a two weeks’ winter break beginning from Saturday and it will reopen on January 2.
The plea, filed by Bihar-based Aryavarta Mahasabha Foundation, has sought a direction to the state government to give adequate compensation to the victims’ families.
The death toll in the Chhapra hooch tragedy, due to the consumption of spurious liquor, in Bihar’s Saran district reached 57 as on Friday which many others were battling for their lives in hospitals.
Local Station House Officer (SHO) Ritesh Mishra and Constable Vikesh Tiwari were suspended on Thursday with immediate effect on the recommendation of Marhaura Sub-Divisional Police Officer, Yogendra Kumar.
The sale and consumption of alcohol were banned in Bihar by the Nitish Kumar government in April 2016.
The plea filed in the top court has made the Centre and the Bihar government as party respondents. The plea contended that a multi-pronged plan is needed to prevent the sale and consumption of toxic alcohol.
