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Kerala-Thiruvananthapuram
By Our Staff Reporter
The accused, ''China Sunil'' of B-6 Resorts, Kannettumukku and Bapuji of Pettah, were remanded to 14 days in judicial custody. An official said the businessmen were arrested after the Special Investigating Team (SIT) probing the Pappanamcode spirit seizure case stumbled upon "incontrovertible'' evidence linking the two to the spirit case. He said the spirit found at the clandestine godown was meant for sale disguised as toddy through various licensed outlets owned by "benamis'' of the two abkari businessmen. He said Sudhi, the prime accused in the case and owner of the premises on which the spirit was found, had been hoarding the illicit stuff at the behest of China Sunil and Bapuji. Surendran, the second accused in the spirit seizure case, was responsible for diluting the spirit and imparting the colour and flavour of toddy before it was retailed through licensed outlets indirectly owned by the businessmen. Police said that evidence collected on the basis of the interrogation of Sudhi and Surendran had led the SIT to China Sunil and Bapuji. An official said the SIT, which raided the premises owned by the duo, had seized "incriminating documents showing the involvement of the accused in the illegal spirit business''. He said few other abkari businessmen in the city were also being probed in connection with the Pappanamcode spirit seizure case. Meanwhile, the City Police have collected samples of toddy from various outlets in the city. The Pettah police found a jeep abandoned near the Chakkai ITI. On verification, it was found that the jeep was owned by one of the arrested businessmen. The Circle Inspector (Excise), Varghese Isaac, who was arrested by the SIT in the company of the abkari businessmen on Thursday was today produced before the Judicial First Class Magistrate court on charges of obstructing a public servant from the discharge of his official duties under section 354 of the Indian Penal Code. The court granted him bail. When contacted, the defence counsel of the CI said that Mr. Isaac was arrested when he took a lift in one of the cars owned by the abkari businessmen. The counsel said that Mr. Isaac, who was currently under suspension, was returning after filing a petition at the State Human Rights Commission when he was arrested by the police. The drivers of the abkari businessmen, Biju and Rakesh, were also produced before the court on the same charges. They too were granted bail. A bid by the SIT men in plainclothes to clandestinely video record the activities at the office of B-6 resorts on Thursday was thwarted when China Sunil and Bapuji blew their cover. Suspecting that the video recording was for some other nefarious purpose, the businessmen informed the Police Control Room. With their cover being blown, the SIT headed by Mr. Mani Lal (Assistant Commissioner-Shankhumukhom) was left with little choice but to raid the premises of the abkari businessmen who had come under the cloud of suspicion, police sources said.
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