In order to nail the kingpins in the rampant coal smuggling, the Jharsuguda police took four accused, who were produced in court on Thursday, on a three-day remand for intensive interrogations.
The culprits were Sanjay Sah and Omprakash Gupta (truck owners), Shailendra Rai and Vikash Rai (truck drivers who were arrested by the Badmal and Orient police on Wednesday night in connection with the illegal coal transportation from the MCl’s lakhanpur Mines).
While the other accused in the cases have been absconding, police seized two trucks laden with coal weighing 38 tonnes.
Police sources said the arrested truck owners and drivers on interrogation have revealed the names of the coal mafias and two illegal coal transporters of Brajrajnagar and Jharsuguda who have since gone underground.
Police under the leadership of SP Uma Shankar Dash this time are going deep into the root of the racket to curb coal smuggling effectively. On the other hand, the criminals as usual resume their activities when they are out on bail.
Sources said an illegal trip involving 25 to 30 tonnes of coal costs `10,000 to `12,000 which is sold at the market at between `30,000 and `35,000.
However, in this case, a nexus between MCl official, State Mines Department, a few local industries officials and police personnel cannot be ruled out, police suspect. The coal theft is causing huge loss to the MCl and the State Government as well.