Fuel racket on BSL land busted; driver held, tanker seized

Bokaro: A raid exposing an illegal fuel trade in Bokaro has revealed that the racket was running on encroached Bokaro Steel Plant (BSL) land, pointing to serious lapses in land monitoring and enforcement. One person was arrested, a tanker seized and two FIRs lodged on Monday at Sector 12 and Balidih police stations.Chas SDO Prajal Dhadha seized over 8,000 litres of ethanol and ethanol-like substance, 1,200 litres of petrol, besides drums and containers from three unauthorised depots, 2,000 litres of ethanol-like substance was found with a tanker near Ranvijay College under Sector 12 police station, about 6,000 litres of ethanol and 1,200 litres of petrol from a depot near an industrial supply corridor close to BPCL operations under Balidih police station.Preliminary findings suggest tankers carrying petroleum products were intercepted en route and fuel siphoned off for illegal resale and possible adulteration.“Based on the written complaint of the executive magistrate, an FIR was lodged at Sector 12 police station naming fuel trader Guddu Rai and tanker driver Chandicharan Mandal (vehicle JH10DD4920) as accused. The driver has been arrested and sent to judicial custody. A separate case has been lodged at Balidih police station against unidentified persons,” said a police officer.Chas SDO said, “Strict action will continue to dismantle the illegal fuel network operating in the district.”BSL chief of communication Manikant Dhan said, “Management is looking into the matter.”