Probe into ONGC pipe smuggling case continues

A Correspondent

JOYSAGAR, May 12: In the latest development, many suspected persons involved in the smuggling of ONGC iron pipes as well as crude oil have been summoned to Sivasagar Sadar Police Station by the I/O of the case and have been interrogated by top police officials to find out more clues before finalizing the police case diary which is to be submitted in the CJM court next week.

As per information, police summoned one DGM of ONGC, identified as PC Bora, and also some other accused persons like B. Hazarika, Deep Das and Ratneswar on Friday night for interrogation. Besides, many top officers of ONGC security cell are also likely to be summoned to the police station for enquiry, police sources added. Sivasagar Police meanwhile, have seized many register books of the central scrap godown of ONGC situated on the bank of the historic Purani Pukhari and Na-Pukhori area under Joysagar PS. The I/ O of the case found that some ONGC employees deputed as store in-charge of the scrap godowns of ONGC had been manipulated figures about the stored quantity of iron pipes and scraps as well as about the quantity of the materials which ONGC formally auctioned to the contractors who did business of scrap iron. An ONGC registered scrap iron business firm in the Babupatty area of Sivasagar town and owned by suspected smuggler Tariq is also under police scanner as this firm, allegedly with the help of some ONGC officers, security personnel and store keepers, had sold a huge quantity of iron pipes and scraps to a Kolkata-based business firm for about Rs 50 crore. These materials were supposed have been acquired by smuggler Tariq from ONGC godowns using some fake documents.

In this act of duping the ONGC authorities, suspected smugglers like Kasim, Bobatu Deka, Pukia, Ajgar, Rubul, Paresh Das, Amzad, Mukut, Saddar and many others were involved and police are now trying to gather evidence against these people, sources informed. But some alleged corrupt police officers, lawyers and some Sivasagar-based journalists as well as leaders of some social organizations are allegedly trying to hinder the police investigation process so that police cannot find sufficient evidence before submitting the case diary in the CJM court next week, sources informed.

Regarding these allegations, senior officials of Sivasagar Police said that despite pressure and attempts to hinder the investigation and thereby protect the accused persons, police were doing their best to ensure that the people involved in the scam were brought to book.