THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A COVID volunteer was arrested by the Varkala police on Saturday for selling alcohol made using various components, including sanitisers, and for selling it to clients to whom he delivered it on his bike.
The police said 37-year-old Sajin made spurious alcohol at his home by mixing vodka, white rum, and sanitisers having 75 percent isopropyl alcohol content. He has been arrested.
The accused had good social contacts and also joined various groups providing free food to the needy. He also used to help the police in relief activities.
All this and the social acceptance he gained were used by him to peddle the 'home-made' intoxicant to regular tipplers whom he serviced on his bike. Due to his relief activities, the police rarely restricted his movements and that made his job a lot more easier.
The matter came to light when the police, while patrolling, came across a youth from Cherunniyur, who was heavily drunk. On being questioned, the youth revealed that a man, who wore an id card and a mask and came on a bike, had supplied him with the liquor.
The man had the contact number of the accused and shared it with the cops. The police officers called up the man and ordered alcohol from him. He was nabbed when he came to deliver it.
On being questioned, the police said the man told them that he used to purchase a large amount of sanitisers from a homeo medical shop in Varkala. Later, he mixed it with vodka and white rum and then sold the mixture at exorbitant rates. For one litre of the mixture, he charged Rs 1600.
The man had regular clients and they used to get in touch with him over the phone. He was always wary of police and hence used 'chappathi' as a code for alcohol while talking to clients.
The police said he used to sell 30 'chappathis' daily. "He made a fortune in a limited time by selling spurious alcohol. It was sheer luck that no one became ill from it," said Varkala Inspector G Gopakumar.