Nagaland State cabinet relying on outcome of police investigation to act
Morung Express News
Dimapur | July 5
The kingpins alleged to be behind the fuel adulteration racket exposed by the Against Corruption And Unabated Taxation (ACAUT) Nagaland continue to remain untraced as Dimapur police began initiating legal procedures to carry forward the investigation.
While the suspicious chemicals and petroleum products found at the sites raided appear evidence enough to file a case, the Dimapur police on July 5 maintained that the impounded items require expert analyses to be admissible in a court of law.
As per the police, the investigation is in the stage of quantifying the variety of “hydro-carbons” (petroleum) and other chemicals found, drawing and preparing samples for tests. The investigation is also looking into the aspect of the fuel tankers (trucks) found parked at the sites and ascertaining the tricky though obvious angle of how the alleged PDS kerosene landed up there.
The legal status of the alleged ‘zero solvent’, which is used to neutralise the density and appearance of kerosene, appears to remain unclear. The five people, who were apprehended during the day the raids occurred, were stated to be under police remand.
IOC officials from Tinsukia, Assam also visited Dimapur on a purported inspection trip. According to the Deputy Commissioner, Dimapur, the officials collected fuel samples at random from a few fuel retail outlets here on July 4 and 5. It could not be ascertained however, whether the exercise was a consequence of the June 27 ACAUT raids or a regular procedure of the IOC. On this, the DC said that it would aid the ongoing investigation to gain some headway.
Meanwhile, the Nagaland Government is apparently relying on the outcome of the investigation to decide on steps to be taken and has called for a report on the matter. The fuel adulteration issue was stated to have featured among discussions at a state Cabinet meeting on June 5.
Nagaland Chief Secretary, Pankaj Kumar, when contacted said that the government would want to first let the police do its job for any follow up action on the part of the Cabinet.
If past record is any indication, earlier attempts by government authorities to uncover the adulteration racket have faced dogged resistance at the highest levels of the State government ultimately gagging any progress or findings made.
