India, Sept. 23 -- Twenty people died after drinking spurious liquor in the Sagar district, while the cause of death of another seven was unclear, the state government said in a status report filed in the Madhya Pradesh high court. Full compensation of Rs.4 lakh was paid to the kin of the 20, and Rs.two lakh to others.

The status report was presented on Monday even as a bench of Chief Justice Alpesh Yeshwant Kogje and Justice Vivek Jain disposed of a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) demanding an impartial inquiry and strict action against the accused. The bench granted the petitioner liberty to present their case before the judicial commission probing the matter.

The government apprised the court of the action against the accused. It sa...