KEONJHAR: Continuing its crackdown on organised cattle smuggling, Keonjhar police has traced 50 bank accounts and more than 20 lockers linked to the nine accused who were arrested for their alleged involvement in the illegal trade.
Keonjhar SP Nitin Kushalkar said police will examine the accounts and lockers to determine the financial transactions and assets acquired by the accused through the illegal cattle trade. Police have alerted the bank authorities in this regard and arrangements are being made to scan the accounts. Besides, police have also found 50 plots of land belonging to the accused.
During interrogation of the arrested cattle smugglers, police have gathered vital information related to cattle smuggling in Keonjhar and neighbouring districts. At least 60 cattle smugglers are on the police scanner. Four teams have been formed to collect information about the smugglers and arrest them, he added.
On Monday, police produced the nine arrested cattle smugglers, including prime accused Sheikh Rajan of Bhadrak, in court. Police are planning to bring them on remand for further interrogation.
A day back, police raided a place in Balasore and seized a luxury car owned by cattle smuggler Sujit Mohanty who was arrested from Jharpokharia in Mayurbhanj district. Mohanty is involved in smuggling cattle across the state border, said police.