PARADIP: Police on Wednesday busted a racket that was illegally lifting coal from within a prohibited area of Paradip Port and arrested five persons in this connection besides suspending a CISF constable for negligence of duty.
On April 29, three trucks had entered the prohibited zone within the port to unload iron ore. Though the trucks were to leave without any cargo, sources said, around 30 to 35 metric tonne of coal was loaded on each of them. The vehicles then left through the port gate without proper checking or transit passes.
Later acting on an intel, police patrolling the port town chased the vehicles. While two vehicles managed to escape, one was detained at Atharbanki and its driver Kamal Seikh arrested. During interrogation, Seikh confessed to transporting the stolen coal to Manguli in Cuttack besides revealing the names of his accomplices.
Seikh was from Mirzapur in Jharkhand while his aides were identified as Galib Hasim and Rakesh Panda of Jajpur, Barada Behera of Kendrapara, and Subhransu Sekhar Mohanty from Cuttack. The suspended CISF constable is Amit Lakra.
President of Jagannath Truck Owners Association Rakesh Jena said the trucks had loaded coal without obtaining proper loading slip from local truck associations. “The truck did not have a waybill or other necessary documents for transporting cargo from the port. Local unscrupulous transport agencies are using outside trucks for illegal transport of coal and other cargo because they offer lower rates,” he added.
Paradip SP Rashmi Ranjan Sahu filed an FIR at Paradip Model police station and a case under sections 379, 411, and 34 of the IPC was registered.
Assistant superintendent of police, Paradip Santosh Kumar Jena said `1.98 lakh in cash, two cars and eight mobile phones were seized from the accused. More people are likely to be arrested in this connection.
Commandant CISF Akshit Patel said constable Lakra was suspended for negligence of duty. “Inquiry is underway against other personnel on duty during that time and action will be taken against them if found guilty,” he informed.
Sources said some transport and stevedoring agencies, instead of hiring local trucks for transporting cargo in the port, reportedly engaged outside trucks because they charged lower rates and facilitated illegal transport of coal and other cargo from the prohibited areas within the port.