Morung Express News
Dimapur | June 27
Fuel adulteration has been a matter of public knowledge for years now. The question though was how it was being done, by whom and how?
Some of the answers will hopefully come to light after the Against Corruption And Unabated Taxation (ACAUT) Nagaland exposed a major fuel adulteration network in Dimapur. The corruption watchdog on June 27 detected, what apparently appears, the existence of major adulteration units in four locations in Dimapur and operated right under the nose of the authorities.
The raids were conducted in the presence of representatives from the Dimapur police and the district administration. The units located at Chumukedima, 5th Mile, Ghora Patti and the fourth near the Golaghat road junction revealed telling signs of fuel adulteration.
While the chemicals used could not be identified, huge tanks containing thousands of litres of kerosene were found in all the four units; along with tanker trucks and motor pumps.
An unidentified chemical powder (red in colour) suspected to be used in the adulteration process was also found in all the places raided. None of the units, except the one at Chumukedima, bore names to identify itself as business enterprise.
At a media briefing following the raid, ACAUT disclosed that four people were apprehended at the unit in Chumukedima, which was attached to a petrol pump alongside NH 29. Three of the persons claimed they were attendants, while the fourth who identified himself as the manager of the petrol pump claimed he had no connection with the adulteration unit located behind.
Another, who was suspected to be a minor, was apprehended at the unit in 5th Mile Model village right on the bank of the Chathe River.
According to the ACAUT, the unit at Chumukedima and the one located near the Golaghat road junction is reportedly owned and run by one businessman from Bihar and residing in Dimapur. This man, the ACAUT said further owns two other petrol pumps in Dimapur and one each in Kohima, Phek, Wokha and Kiphire and alleged that the adulterated fuel from the two units are routed to the petrol pumps owned by him. The same man, ACAUT said, has a hand in the unit located at Ghora Patti, which he allegedly runs jointly with five others. The unit at 5th Mile is allegedly being run by a two-man team, whose names the ACAUT revealed were Ajay Prasad and the other identified only as Romeo.
ACAUT asserted that the network has inter-state ramification. The fuel adulterated here is being supplied to Manipur as well, it alleged. On the legal proceedings, ACAUT demanded a thorough investigation should get to the bottom of the racket. “All the people (involved) should be arrested and the land on which the adulteration units stand should also be confiscated by the State Government,” it demanded.
ACAUT further pointed to an alleged nexus between the people involved in the adulteration racket and Naga Political Groups. During the raid today, ‘letters’ bearing the name of the NNC (Non Accordist) and the NSCN (IM) were also confiscated from one of the units. In the ‘information’ letter from the NNC-NA, it sought from the unit yearly contribution on account of it being a “2nd class business (petrol mixture)” enterprise. The other letter from the NSCN (IM) was in the form of acknowledgement for receipt of a certain sum of money.
As regards the conspicuous presence of kerosene in all the four units, the ACAUT did not rule out the possible complicity of the Department of Food & Civil Supplies as well as those in the highest echelon of the government machinery. “This angle should be probed and the authorities should finish the probe within one week and the result (finding) be made public.”
It demanded that the police investigate further and track down the places or petrol pumps to where the adulterated fuel is supplied. It warned that if the investigations are not satisfactory, ACAUT would be compelled to resort to further course of action.
Meanwhile, Chumukedima youth, who took part in the raid, announced that it will not allow the petrol pump to run till investigations in connection to today’s events come to a logical conclusion. At the raid at 5th Mile, ACAUT was assisted by the youth of 5th Mile Model village.
