DIMAPUR, AUGUST 3: Police authorities of Kohima district have taken into custody two persons and an oil tanker carrying solvents and chemicals linked to one of the kingpins of the recent fuel adulteration racket in Nagaland. The owner of the consignment is said to be an employee of Ajay Prasad Chetri, a kingpin of said racket, the police said.
The Kohima police issued a press release on Wednesday informing about the arrest.
On August 2, the police said to have received specific information about a 12-wheel oil tanker that was reportedly fully loaded with solvents (having a composition of paint thinner and turpentine) and proceeding towards Kohima from Dimapur with a CRPF convoy.
The truck bore the registration WB-23-5019, the police stated.
Following the information, personnel of the Kohima police under the supervision of the sub-division police officer (south) “conducted intensive checking to intercept the said vehicle and its occupants.”
‘During the process, the said vehicle mentioned above turned up at the Peducha check-gate and the said vehicle was accordingly seized and brought to Sechü (Zubza) police station,’ the police stated.
According to the police, the driver of the oil tanker, 49-year-old Surendar Shani disclosed that ‘after loading the chemical (used for mixing it with liquor) from Rudrapur Deoria (UP) on 11/07/2016, it proceeded to Khatkhati in Karbi Anglong in Assam and reached said place on the 18th of July.’ There, they delivered the consignment at a liquor factory based at Khatkhati, the police said.
“Thereafter, while waiting for other consignments for return journey, one Munna Prasad Kesari from Dimapur approached him on 02/08/2016 afternoon and a deal was made for transporting the chemical solvent from Khatkhati to Imphal with transportation charges at the rate of Rs 2 per liter and loaded approximately 20 thousand liters of solvent from Khatkhati for delivering at Imphal after taking the approval of vehicle owner namely, Mahesh Mahato who is based at Kolkata.”
The press release stated: ‘The alleged owner of the consignment Munna Prasad Kesari (45) who was travelling together with the consignment was also arrested along with the said oil tanker loaded with solvent and the driver Surendar Sahani. The alleged owner of the consignment Munna Prasad Kesari was also examined and as per his statement he is the employee of accused Ajay Prasad Chetri who is the kingpin of the ongoing fuel adulteration case in Dimapur.”
“He also stated that he was working under him for the past 5 (five) years and the consignment belongs to the accused Ajay Prasad Chetri. As per his statement the said chemical was stuck up at Sirampur since June 2016 because of the ongoing fuel adulteration case at Dimapur and it was brought at Khatkhati on 31st July 2016.”
“In this connection, a regular case vide Sechu(Zubza) P.S case No. 0020/16 U/S 471/472/474/465/467 IPC R/W U/S 23(1)(a)(b) Petroleum Act is registered against the two arrested persons namely Surendar Shani (driver of oil tanker) and Munna Prasad Kesari (employee of Ajay Prasad Chetri) for further investigation,” the press release stated.
