In a major crackdown, police have arrested four for operating an organised racket of stealing iron scrap from Bhilai Steel Plant (BSP) over the past four to five months. The accused were remanded to jail following their arrest. Police sources informed that the four accused arrested in the case were identified as Methan Thakur, a resident of Sikola Basti, Durg; Chintanand Sahu (40), a resident of Babadeepsingh Nagar, Vaishali Nagar, Bhilai; Gitesh Verma (36), a resident of Tata Line, Kohka, Bhilai; Nirmal Singh (52), a resident of EWS-697, Vaishali Nagar, Bhilai. Acting on a tip-off, the police team raided a scrap yard located in Gram Akloradih, Khadanpara, under the premises of A K Traders, Plot No 18 A/05, HIA Hathkhoj, Bhilai. During the search, the police team found multiple vehicles loaded with iron plate cuttings and beam scrap concealed under flue dust to evade detection. The seized materials included iron plates and beam cuttings weighing approximately 250 tons, valued at around Rs 90 lakh. Along with vehicles and machinery used in the operation, the total seizure amounts to approximately Rs 3.22 crore.

 

The accused were found operating in a coordinated manner, mixing stolen iron materials with flue dust and transporting them through heavy vehicles to avoid suspicion. In this connection the police team has seized two Hyva trucks (CG04QT8797, CG08AW1475), two trucks (CG10R2004, CG07MB2455), mini-truck 1109 (CG07CA6977), Tata Ace (CG04JB9916), one JCB machine (CG08AU8496), one Hydra crane (CG07CW8063), one chain mounting machine (unnumbered), five screening machines used for separating dust and scrap etc. Additionally, large piles of iron scrap mixed with flue dust were recovered from the site. During interrogation, the vehicle drivers and site supervisor failed to produce valid documents related to the seized materials. Subsequently, Purani Bhilai police have registered the offence under sections 303(2), 317(4), 3(5), and 112 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). ASP Manishankar Chandra, Spokesperson, District Police informed that a special investigation team has been constituted under the leadership of the Additional Superintendent of Police to further probe the organised nature of the crime. The police have also added provisions related to organised crime in the case. He added that further arrests and revelations are likely as the investigation progresses.