Bhavnagar spurious liquor deaths rise to 8; 13 accused get 10-day remand
Synopsis
Eight people are dead and 31 hospitalised after consuming methanol-laced counterfeit liquor sold in fake Royal Stag bottles in Bhavnagar. With 38.59% methanol detected in seized samples, all 13 arrested accused have been remanded for 10 days, police officers suspended for negligence, and the State Monitoring Cell is now chasing a supply chain that reportedly stretches beyond Gujarat.
Key Takeaways
The Bhavnagar spurious liquor death toll rose to 8 as of 20 August ; 31 others remain hospitalised.
All 13 accused were remanded in police custody for 10 days until 31 August by Third Additional Judge Dharmesh Jani .
A seized bottle showed 38.59% methanol and just 0.94% ethanol — a lethal composition.
The counterfeit liquor was sold in bottles bearing fake 'Royal Stag' stickers; police suspect the stock was sourced from outside Gujarat.
The LCB Police Inspector of Bhavnagar and the Vartej Police Station Inspector were suspended; three D-Staff and two jamadars also suspended.
The State Monitoring Cell (SMC) is pursuing suspects across multiple states to dismantle the full supply chain.
The death toll in the Bhavnagar spurious liquor case climbed to eight on 20 August, as a court remanded all 13 accused in police custody for 10 days until 31 August. The State Monitoring Cell (SMC) is leading an intensifying investigation into the procurement, preparation, and distribution of the poisonous liquor that has also left 31 people hospitalised across Bhavnagar district.
Court Remand and Legal Proceedings
Third Additional Judge Dharmesh Jani granted the remand on Thursday, giving investigators time to establish the source of the counterfeit liquor, map the wider supply network, and determine the individual roles of those allegedly involved. Cases have been registered at Bharatnagar and Vartej police stations under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, and the Gujarat Prohibition Act. A total of 21 accused have been named in the FIR, with 13 in custody so far.
What the Chemical Analysis Revealed
A seized bottle — bearing a counterfeit 'Royal Stag' sticker — was found to contain a dangerously high concentration of methanol. Chemical analysis recorded 38.59 per cent methanol and just 0.94 per cent ethanol, a composition that investigators say is consistent with the severe symptoms reported. Victims developed vomiting and breathing difficulties after consuming the liquor at gatherings in and around Kharakdi village in Ghogha taluka. One patient is currently being treated at a private hospital in Surat.
SMC Takes Charge; Supply Chain Under Scrutiny
Law and Order IGP Makarand Chauhan confirmed that the investigation was transferred to the SMC on directions from Gujarat Director General of Police G.S. Malik. SMC teams have so far seized duplicate liquor bottles, chemicals, colouring agents, counterfeit stickers, sticker rolls, bottle caps, and cardboard packaging allegedly used in preparing the fake liquor. Police believe the suspected liquor was sourced from outside Gujarat, and teams have been deployed across multiple locations in the state and elsewhere in the country to trace the supply chain and apprehend remaining accused.
Police Personnel Suspended Over Negligence
The incident has triggered accountability action within the force. The Bhavnagar District Local Crime Branch (LCB) Police Inspector was suspended by the State Police Chief, while the Police Inspector of Vartej Police Station was suspended by the Bhavnagar Range Inspector General. Additionally, the Bhavnagar District Superintendent of Police suspended three D-Staff personnel, the local beat jamadar of Vartej Police Station, and a woman jamadar of Nilambaug Police Station — all with immediate effect.
Public Health Advisory
Authorities have urged anyone who consumed liquor from bottles carrying the suspected Royal Stag sticker to seek medical attention immediately. Those in possession of such bottles have been asked not to consume the contents and to alert the police. The investigation into the full chain of procurement, preparation, transportation, and sale of the spurious liquor remains ongoing, with further arrests expected.
Point of View
Counterfeit branding (here, Royal Stag stickers) lends false legitimacy to lethal product, and suspensions of local police officers arrive only after the body count rises. The 38.59% methanol reading is not an aberration — it is the predictable endpoint of an unregulated supply chain operating in a prohibition state. The real accountability question is not just who made the liquor, but how it moved through Bhavnagar's Ghogha taluka undetected. Until the SMC traces the full procurement chain and the state audits its prohibition enforcement infrastructure, suspensions of beat-level officers will remain cosmetic responses to a structural failure.
NationPress
21 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened in the Bhavnagar spurious liquor case?
At least eight people died and 31 others were hospitalised after consuming counterfeit liquor sold in bottles bearing fake 'Royal Stag' stickers in and around Kharakdi village in Ghogha taluka, Bhavnagar district. Chemical analysis of a seized bottle found a methanol concentration of 38.59%, which is highly toxic.
Who is investigating the Bhavnagar hooch tragedy?
The State Monitoring Cell (SMC) has taken over the investigation on the directions of Gujarat DGP G.S. Malik. SMC teams are tracing the supply chain across Gujarat and other states, and have so far arrested 13 people.
What court action has been taken against the accused?
Third Additional Judge Dharmesh Jani remanded all 13 arrested accused in police custody for 10 days until 31 August. Cases have been registered under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, and the Gujarat Prohibition Act, with 21 people named as accused in total.
Were any police officers punished for negligence?
Yes. The Bhavnagar District LCB Police Inspector was suspended by the State Police Chief, and the Vartej Police Station Inspector was suspended by the Bhavnagar Range Inspector General. Three D-Staff personnel and two jamadars were also suspended by the Bhavnagar District Superintendent of Police.
What should people do if they consumed liquor from a Royal Stag bottle recently in Bhavnagar?
Authorities have urged anyone who consumed liquor from bottles bearing the suspected Royal Stag sticker to seek medical attention immediately. Those in possession of such bottles have been asked not to consume the contents and to inform local police.
