Tamil Nadu: AIADMK demands CBI probe into Kallakurichi liquor tragedy

CHENNAI: The AIADMK has filed a public interest litigation petition in the Madras High Court praying for a CBI probe into the Kallakurichi hooch tragedy.

Advocate IS Inbadurai on Thursday filed the petition in which he said that since 2021, ‘various incidents of spurious liquor tragedies have taken place in the state’. In 2023, a total of 22 people died in two separate hooch tragedies in Villupuram and Chengalpattu districts.

Inbadurai said the death toll in Kallakurichi keeps rising and the district collector on Wednesday attempted to mislead people by making contradictory statements to hush up the matter in a bid to save erring officials and the accused.

“The government has not taken any proper action for prohibiting the sale of illicit liquor. It is the primary duty of the government to take stringent action against persons involved in sale of illicit brew, but the entire state machinery has failed to act seriously,” Inbadurai claimed.

He sought the court to transfer the probe from CB-CID to CBI and also constitute a special investigation team to investigate such incidents. Inbadurai prayed the court to issue orders for ensuring that the postmortem of victims is held in an appropriate manner.

On Thursday, AIADMK advocates D Selvam and Inbadurai mentioned the issue before the division bench of Justices D Krishnakumar and K Kumaresh Babu and pressed for an urgent hearing in the post-lunch session. However, the bench said it would take up the matter on Friday.

Additional Public Prosecutor R Muniapparaj informed the court that the state has swung into action by transferring the investigation to CB-CID. He said the police officials concerned, including the SP, have been placed under suspension.