Hauz Khas probe: Reports say it was fungus, not poison

NEW DELHI, December 8: Corroborative reports from both the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) and the All India Institute of Medi...

NEW DELHI, December 8: Corroborative reports from both the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) and the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) have confirmed that the salted snacks (namkeen) distributed in the Hardarpuri jhuggi cluster on November 25 contained fungus and not poison. This was stated by the Defence Colony police today.

The Delhi Government ordered a magisterial inquiry into the incident yesterday. The inquiry is being headed by Additional District Magistrate Manoj Kumar, who has been asked to submit the report within 15 days. The decision was taken at a Cabinet meeting held at Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit’s office. It was attended by all the six new ministers, Chief Secretary Omesh Saigal and Principal Secretary K.S. Baidwan.

More than 500 residents of the jhuggi cluster in the Gautam Nagar area of the Hauz Khas constituency fell ill after consuming the namkeen. At least 175 were hospitalised with symptoms of food poisoning. Most were subsequently discharged. The police, meanwhile, have been unable to trace the culprits.

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The namkeen was reportedly distributed by unidentified people to the children while their elders were preparing to cast their vote. At the time, DCP (South) Pradeep Srivastav said that some jhuggi dwellers were suspected to be behind the incident. A case was registered under Section 328 (causing food poisoning with an intention to commit an offence) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) at the Defence Colony police station. ACP Mahadev Mehta said today that the CFSL report came in on Friday and the one from AIIMS was received 2-3 days before that. Both confirmed that there was fungus in the snacks.

“We are looking for one man. He has not been identified by name, but we have prepared his portrait. Only from him can we find out the source of the food. This is very important as we have to find out if there is more stock. That has to be destroyed,” said a senior police official today.

The police investigation, however, shows several discrepancies. While they were quick to say that initial toxicological tests indicated that the snacks were laced with methaquonolone — a drug often used as an intoxicant and sold under the brand names Mandrax and Nindra, the statement was retracted the following day.

And while the investigators are no closer to tracking down the culprits, the case got murkier. On November 27, the South District police said they found crumpled pamphlets of Janata Dal candidate Rampal Singh inside two of the contaminated namkeen packets. The police later said that the pamphlets didn’t prove anything conclusive, but they never questioned Singh. The search for that elusive “one man” continues.