The police believe that Vinod Chauhan alias Dagri, prime accused in the Hooch tragedy case, has fled from Gujarat, but the possibility of him hiding somewhere in the state cannot be ruled out altogether.
If sources in the bootlegging trade are to be believed, Dagri is still in Gujarat and is being helped by bootleggers in the city, to whom he supplied liquor made in Mahemdabad.
A source told DNA that Dagri had "good relations" with many leading bootleggers of the city, who could have supported him and arranged for a safe place, in or around the city, to hide him.
"Dagri helped a lot of bootleggers and provided them shelter at his place or around his village. This could be a pay back time for these bootleggers," the source said.
Many wanted bootleggers were provided security at Dagri's place. "He shares homely relationship with most of them and knows that they would do anything for him," he added.
For instance, popular bootlegger of the Amraivadi area, Jagan Gavander alias Jagan Madrasi, is alleged to have close ties with Dagri. "Dagri supported Madrasi in every possible ways, and that too at a time when the police were hunting for him in a prohibition ase under Pasa," said another source in the police.
The source further said that Dagri helped Madrasi find a safe place to escape arrest and also supported him financially during his bad times. "There are many such bootleggers who feel obligated to Dagri and would do anything to overcome the present crisis," the bootlegger said.
It is alleged that one or a couple of them could have come to Dagri's rescue and helped him find a safe place to hide till the matter is suppressed.
They could have even misguided the police by providing them with false information about his escape from the state.
