Staff Reporter
A day after Rising People’s Party (RPP) busted a fuel adulteration racket here on Thursday night, Dimapur police have confirmed that an FIR was lodged on the night itself and investigation was on, while a search operation had been launched to nab the main suspect in the case.
The police sources also confirmed that adulterated fuel was seized from the spot in the presence of a magistrate and sample sent to forensic lab for test.
It has been learnt from the police that the land where fuel was adulterated belonged to one local person, who had leased it to one Ashok for running the illegal business.
Ashok, who is currently out of station, was expected to return to Dimapur on Saturday, after which the police would be questioning him, sources said.
IOCL clarifies
Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL) has clarified that oil tankers allegedly involved in the racket were not contracted to the company.
Claiming this, IOCL Dimapur deputy general manager (DGM) Huwuto Sema told Nagaland Post that out of the three oil tankers found near the adulteration site at the time of the raid, one belonged to some other company, while the other two were contracted to IOCL. He, however, clarified that those tankers contracted to IOCL were there for repairing.
Huwuto informed this reporter that all contracted oil tankers with IOCL had E-locking and GPS tracking devices installed through which their movements were tracked.
Hence, he asserted that it was almost impossible for IOCL tankers to indulge in such illegal activities.
ACAUT demands action
In another FIR filed by ACAUT Nagaland at West Police station on Friday, the organisation alleged that Kerosene oil, which was regulated as essential commodity and meant for card holders under department of Food & Civil Supplies, were being siphoned off by racketeers.
While also pointing out that the fuel adulteration was being carried out at the same location at Gorapatti area (that was earlier busted in 2016), ACAUT demanded that matter needed to be thoroughly investigated and arrest those involved.
According to one member, the concern authorities should give out full details of how and to whom SK Oil are being allocated/distributed.