Kendrapara/Bhubaneswar: The Special Task Force of Crime Branch Thursday unearthed gangster Sayed Usman Ali alias Tito’s alleged links with cattle smuggling racket in Odisha with the arrest of two of his aides.
The STF Thursday arrested Saroj Pati, 31, a resident of Mahipala under Kendrapara police station and Batakrushna Pani, 45, a resident of Kusapalla under Begunia police station of Khurda district. The STF arrested Batakrushna from his house in Kalingavihar.
The STF also seized a Fortuner car, a Hyundai car and a Harley Davidson bike, which belonged to Tito, from the accused. The STF also seized an unlicensed pistol from Batakrushna.
The duo was arrested for threatening contractor Premanand Lenka, who was executing a contract in Aul under Patamundai irrigation division, to extort Rs 70 lakh from him.
The arrested men were produced in the JMFC court of Rajnagar Thursday.
STF sources said the two were assisting Tito in terrorising people, tender fixing, organised crimes and extortion. Batakrushna is also involved in cattle smuggling to neighbouring states and to Bangladesh.
Saroj, who is proprietor of Computer World shop in Kendrapara, used to provide computers and CCTVs to Tito and his brothers. He has also taken contracts from Tito.
With the arrest of the duo, the STF has arrested eight persons, including Tito, in STF case No: 9.
Besides Tito, the STF had earlier arrested Sheikh Abdullah alias Rajesh, Golden Papu alias Mohmmed Abdul Asif, Jahangir Khan, Imtiyaz Khan and Machhu alias Sheikh Ashadul Quadir.
PNN
