Ghaziabad: Police in the Kavinagar area have busted an inter-state gang allegedly involved in stealing steel reinforcement rods from construction companies by manipulating weighbridge readings using electronic chips and remote devices. Four alleged members of the gang have been arrested, and police have recovered a truck carrying around 42,000 kg, or 42 tonnes, of steel rods.
The arrested accused have been identified as Musarruf of Hapur, Osama of Meerut, Imran of Bulandshahr and Prashant of Auraiya.
According to police, the gang targeted construction companies and exploited their supply chains. Trucks carrying large consignments of steel rods to construction sites were allegedly diverted to a designated warehouse on the way. Several tonnes of material were then removed from the trucks before the vehicles were taken to a weighbridge.
Steel Removed En Route, Weight Allegedly Manipulated at Weighbridge
Police said the gang first identified trucks carrying large quantities of steel rods meant for construction sites. The vehicles were allegedly stopped at a warehouse along the route, where a portion of the consignment was unloaded.
The trucks were then taken to a weighbridge, where the accused allegedly manipulated the weighing system using an electronic chip or remote device. The altered system allegedly displayed a weight corresponding to the original loaded quantity, despite some of the steel having already been removed.
A weighment slip generated after the alleged manipulation was then handed over to the construction company. Official records consequently showed delivery of the complete consignment, while a portion of the material had allegedly been diverted before reaching the designated site.
Gang Allegedly Active for Three Years
According to police, the arrested accused allegedly admitted during questioning that they had been involved in similar fraud for around three years. Investigators received information that a consignment of steel rods being transported to Nethli in Baghpat was allegedly being unloaded at a warehouse in the Kavinagar area.
Acting on the information, police intensified surveillance and monitored the suspected movement of the consignment. A subsequent operation led to the arrest of the four accused and the recovery of the truck and steel rods.
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Investigators are now examining how many companies may have been targeted by the gang and the total quantity of steel allegedly stolen through the method.
Three Suspected Associates Under Investigation
The investigation has also brought the names of Raj Kumar alias Raju, Lokesh Sharma and Aftab to the fore. Police allege that these individuals were involved in arranging the warehouse used for unloading the steel.
According to investigators, Raju and Aftab had previously been jailed in similar cases. Police are searching for the absconding suspects and are also examining their alleged links with the arrested accused.
The role of the weighbridge operator and employees working there is also under investigation. Police are examining whether the alleged electronic manipulation could have been carried out with the assistance of insiders.
The electronic equipment, weighing system and relevant records are being examined to establish how the alleged manipulation was carried out and whether the same system was used in earlier incidents.
