Life term for 2011 hooch tragedy key accused

kolkata: A court here on Monday awarded life imprisonment to Khora Badshah, the main accused in 2011 hooch tragedy that claimed 172 lives. Badshah, alias Nur Islam Fakir, was convicted of murder by the Alipore district sessions court.

The additional district judge ordered that Badshah will undergo imprisonment until death.

He was also found guilty of poisoning people and sentenced to 10 years' imprisonment. Both the sentences will run concurrently, the court said.

On December 13, 2011 many people fell ill and 172 had died after consuming spurious liquor at Sangrampur in Magrahat, South 24-Parganas. After the tragic incident, a case was registered at the Magrahat police station.

Police arrested 21 persons. Following the incident, the state government had announced a compensation of Rs two lakh for each of the deceased person's family members.

In 2014, the investigation of the case was taken up by the state Criminal Investigation Department (CID).

CID had submitted chargesheet against nine persons including Fakir and his wife, Shakila Bibi.

Fakir was held guilty under sections 273 (sale of noxious food or drink), 302 (murder), 326 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means) and 328 (causing hurt by means of poison, etc., with intent to commit an offence) of the IPC along with 46A of the Bengal Excise Act.