Lakhanpur: Acting on a tip-off, Lakhanpur police Sunday busted a coal smuggling racket and arrested nine persons in this connection. The police also seized a coal-laden truck, a car, a computer, forged transit passes, gate passes and duplicate documents from their possession.
The accused have been identified as Manoj Kumar Behera alias Bulu (43), Sonu Biswakarma (34), Alok Ranjan Pasayat (24), Vivek Jyoti Behera (35), Premanand Bhainsal (30), Trinath Jena (43), Tipu Kureshi (24), Harpreet alias Happy (22) and Subash Nag (43). A case was registered and the nine was produced in Jharsuguda court. Later, they were remanded in judicial custody after the court rejected their bail pleas.
According to police, Vivek Jyoti runs a computer shop in Belpahar. He prepares forged transit passes and gate passes.
Using the forged documents, Manoj, Sonu, Alok and Subash enter coalfields and smuggle huge amounts of coal. If they are held, Tipu and Happy arrive and rescue the truck. Main accused Premanand is in charge of loading coal on trucks from the coalfields.
They provide commission to truck owners and smuggle the coal. Even as many complaints were lodged in this connection, no one was arrested.
Acting on a tip-off, a police team conducted a raid and made the arrest. Meanwhile, the truck driver and helper managed to escape. Preliminary investigation revealed many more persons were involved in the racket. Further investigation is on, police said, adding the number of arrests would increase after the arrest of the absconders. PNN
