More than two years after Gujarat witnessed one of its worst ever hooch tragedies, the governor Dr Kamla has given her consent to death penalty for those found guilty of manufacturing, selling and supplying hooch or spurious liquor which results in death.
The state assembly had passed The Bombay Prohibition (Amendment) Act on July 28, 2009. This was immediately after the hooch tragedy, which claimed 136 lives in the city, mostly in the slums in Odhav and Amraiwadi, earlier in the month.
Under fire from all quarters following the tragedy, the state government launched a major crackdown on illicit liquor network, raiding thousands of premises and arresting hundreds of bootleggers. At the same time, the Narendra Modi-led state government also proposed harsher punishment to check flow of spurious liquor in the state.
While the existing law provided for a maximum of one year imprisonment, the government tabled an amended bill in the assembly proposing stringent punishment for anyone involved in manufacturing, transporting, stocking or selling hooch. The government also proposed impounding the vehicle used for transporting the illicit liquor.
The other proposed amendments included seven to 10 years imprisonment, plus fine, to anyone found manufacturing and distributing illicit liquor. In the case of deaths, the amended bill proposed death penalty and life imprisonment for those found guilty of manufacturing, selling and supplying hooch.
The amended bill also has provisions for criminal and administrative action against police officials failing to check flow of illicit liquor.
Government officials confirmed on Monday that governor recently cleared the amended bill and sent it back to the state government.
"The state government will now frame rules for the act, and issue a notification," said an official.
In the wake of the hooch tragedy in 2009, the state government had suspended and transferred a number of policemen. A four-member inquiry commission, headed by retired high court judge Kamal Mehta, was also formed to probe the tragedy.
