Probe into spirit theft from Travancore Chemicals in Kerala expands to Madhya Pradesh

The police crew probing the theft of rectified spirit from the State-owned Travancore Sugars and Chemicals Limited in Thiruvalla will quickly be leaving for Madhya Pradesh to hint the routes by means of which the fabric was illegally diverted.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the accused had offered the rectified spirit to a ‘desi liquor distilling racket’, which operates in and across the Sendhwa area in Barwani district. “The accused, however, do not seem to possess any vital information about this racket other than just a contact number. Against this backdrop, a police team will soon be leaving for the location to track down the details including that actual quantity of spirit sourced through the accused,” mentioned Biju.V. Nair, Station House Officer, Pulikeezhu, who leads the investigation.

The police have already unearthed diversion of about 20,687 litres of rectified spirit from two vehicles, which have been transporting about 1.15 litres of the fabric to the State-owned firm right here. The theft got here to gentle throughout a preliminary investigation by the Kerala Excise Department, which had additionally taken these drivers into custody.

Considering that about 15 truckloads of rectified spirit have been being transported to the corporate right here on a month-to-month foundation, makes an attempt are additionally on to confirm the precise quantity of spirit pilfered by the accused. “The accused truck drivers had been transporting spirit consignments for the company since February this year,” the official added.

Commenting on the episode, Venugopala Kurup, Excise Deputy Commissioner in Pathanamthitta, mentioned the division had acquired a tip-off concerning the fraud and deployed a particular crew to monitor the vehicles. “Besides unearthing the pilferage, cash worth around ₹10 lakh, received allegedly from the black marketing of the material, too was recovered from these drivers,” he mentioned.

Based on info collected from the accused drivers, recognized as Nandakumar and Sijo Thomas, the excise additionally took one Arun Kumar, an organization official, into custody. The police, which then took over the case, arraigned 4 extra individuals, together with three firm officers recognized as normal supervisor Alex.P. Abraham, private supervisor Shehim and manufacturing supervisor Megha Murali, as accused in the case.

Meanwhile, a probe can also be on to hint Abu, a Madhya Pradesh native who allegedly acted as a intermediary in the deal.

According to the police, the accused truck drivers, appearing on a course from Arun Kumar, had helped Abu to siphon off 20,687 litres of spirit stored contained in the tanker vehicles. In pilfering the liquid, in addition they sought the assistance of some specialists to break the e-lock system on these vehicles, that are designed to elevate an alarm if operated outdoors the geo-fenced spot.

Travancore Sugars and Chemicals Limited is engaged in the manufacture of Indian Made Foreign Liquor.