Nagpur coal smuggling racket busted, five arrested, goods worth lakhs seized

Nagpur crime branch's anti-land mafia squad has busted a racket involving the theft of coal and its illegal purchase and sale. Police arrested five people in the operation and recovered 11.625 tonnes of coal from them, with the value of this along with other seized items estimated at about Rs 2.30 lakh.

The case began with a tip-off. Police learnt that a firm called Rahmat Exein, located in Gada Shivar on the road from Kamthi railway crossing through Gada village to Awandi village in the Naveen Kamthi police station area, was allegedly involved in the illegal purchase and sale of coal.

Acting on this information, a police team raided the firm at around 4 am in the presence of witnesses. The search found a large stock of coal at the site. Five people were taken into custody along with four two-wheelers from the spot.

The arrested have been identified as Ahad Firoz Ahmed, Danish Mohammad Akram, Chetan Ramesh Shendre, Kunal Harish Raut and Atulsingh Abhimanyusingh.

Police said their initial investigation found that Chetan, Kunal and Atulsingh allegedly stole coal from the Kanhan mine and delivered it to Danish's firm for sale, where money was made through the illegal purchase and sale of the coal.

During the raid, police seized 11,625 kg of coal, Rs 10,500 in cash, a weighing scale, four two-wheelers and two mobile phones. The total value of the seized items is estimated at about Rs 2.30 lakh.

A case has been registered at Naveen Kamthi police station. The five arrested accused and the seized items have been handed over to Naveen Kamthi police for further legal action. Police said the investigation is ongoing and the role of more people linked to the racket is being probed.