Chhattisgarh: Two Bhilai Steel Plant officials held in iron scrap theft case; total arrests reach 15

Durg, Jul 9 (PTI) Two Bhilai Steel Plant (BSP) officials were arrested on Thursday in connection with the alleged theft of iron scrap in Chhattisgarh's Durg district, taking the total number of persons held in the case so far to 15, police said. Durg Superintendent of Police Vijay Agrawal identified the two accused as BSP General Manager Himanshu Bhushan Malik (54) and Associate Engineer Manoj Kumar Dewangan (58). The case came to light on May 26 after police, acting on a tip-off, raided the premises of a firm - AK Traders in Bhilai's Hathkhoj area, during which iron plates, beams, cutting material and other scrap loaded onto trucks and heavy vehicles along with flue dust were found, he said. A large quantity of iron scrap was also found stockpiled at the site, Agrawal said. The investigation suggested that the accused had allegedly been operating an organised racket in which iron scrap was stolen from BSP during the transportation of flue dust and illegally stored at the premises before being sold for financial gain, he said. "Police seized around 250 tonnes of iron plates, beam cuttings and other iron materials from the spot. Vehicles, including trucks, a JCB excavator, a Hydra crane and other machinery allegedly used for transporting and loading the stolen scrap, were also seized. Total value of seized assets, including iron scrap worth around Rs 90 lakh and the vehicles and machinery, is estimated at about Rs 3.22 crore," he said. Based on fresh evidence, Malik and Dewangan were arrested, taking the total number of persons held in the case has to 15, he said. The accused had allegedly been stealing BSP iron scrap by concealing it with flue dust consignments over the past four to five months and storing it illegally for commercial gains, he added. Efforts are underway to trace other absconding suspects, Agrawal said. PTI COR TKP BNM