The Crime Branch-Criminal Investigation Department (CB-CID) filed a petition before a local court in Kallakurichi on Friday, June 28, seeking custody of 11 of the total 21 accused arrested so far in connection with the hooch tragedy in the district.
The agency filed the petition before the Principal District and Sessions Court, which is likely to come up for hearing on July 1.
The Kallakurichi town police, who initially probed the case, handed over the case diary and related files to the CB-CID team, led by Additional Deputy Superintendent of Police Gomathi, who has been appointed as the investigating officer.
A preliminary investigation revealed that the deaths of 65 persons in Kallakurichi district was caused due to methanol poisoning, and the brew was supplied by bootlegger Govindaraj alias Kannukutty in Karunapuram, the epicentre of the tragedy.
The CB-CID police have arrested 21 persons, including Govindaraj, his wife Vijaya, Chinnadurai, Joseph alias Raj, Madesh, Gowtham Chand, Sivakumar, Bhansil Lal, Kathiravan, Kannan, and Sakthivel, in connection with the incident so far.
