15 Police Officials were also suspended in connection with the case
The Bihar Police have arrested the main accused in connection with the deaths of 18 people after the consumed spurious liquor in Bihar.
Nagina Pasi and his brother Lal Babu Choudhary were named as the main accused in the case. While Mr Choudhary was arrested from Deoria in Uttar Pradesh two days ago, Mr Pasi had been evading arrest till now.
Mr Pasi is currently being interrogated by Gopalganj Police and likely to be produced before a magistrate today. Fifteen Police Officials belonging to town police station of Gopalganj were also suspended in connection with the case.
The incident has sparked alarm in the state where liquor has been outlawed since March this year as part of an election promise by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, raising concerns about the availability of illegal alcohol.
Recently, officials seized more than 550 litres of country liquor during a search operation launched in Khajurwani ward of Gopalganj town.
The Gopalganj District Magistrate said he has sought proposal from the excise department for imposition of "collective fine" on residents of Khajurwani ward whereas media reports suggest liquor trade continues despite total prohibition.
The official said there are 56 households in the Khajurwani and the excise department has been directed to survey households involved in preparation of country liquor so that a collective fine could be imposed on them as per provisions of new Liquor law, 2016 of Bihar.
Principal Secretary Excise KK Pathak who paid a visit to Gopalganj in the wake of the incident has said that if spurious liquor is confirmed, the property of the culprits would be attached as part of stringent provisions of the new liquor law.
The Gopalganj district magistrate discounted soaring figures presented by media in Wednesday's tragedy and said officially the death toll stood at 16.
Meanwhile, Madhepura MP and chief of Janadhikar Party Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav slammed Nitish Kumar government over Gopalganj tragedy before leaving for the place to meet the families of the victims.
Talking to reporters in Patna, Pappu Yadav described the new Excise law as a "black law" and said within two weeks he would file a writ in the Supreme Court against it.