Anti-terror cell to probe arms supply
The Delhi police has transferred the case of a suspected Maoist arms supplier, who was held in Karol Bagh with a huge cache of detonators, to its elite anti-terror cell after it transpired that the detonating devices were manufactured by a company whose explosive-laden trucks went missing last year.
The missing explosives, weighing around 900 tonnes, are believed to have fallen in the hands of Hindu radical groups and Maoists with the investigators suspecting an arms racket between arms manufacturers and some unidentified “primary” and “secondary” receivers, who may be supplying arms to Maoists or even some Hindu radical groups.
The police had on December 2, last year, arrested a Nepali national, Loknath Panth, 40, while he was going to New Delhi Railway Station from Karol Bagh. Panth is believed to be an arms supplier for Maoists with the police recovering 500 non-electric detonators and fake Nepalese currency from him. The special staff of central Delhi was investigating the case.
“During investigations, it was revealed that the detonators were manufactured by RECL, whose explosive-laden trucks went missing last year. We sent a notice to the company officials but they are yet to respond. Since the case is being investigated by Rajasthan ATS, we have transferred investigations to the special cell”, a Delhi police officer said. When contacted, special commissioner (special cell), P.N. Aggarwal said he had no knowledge about the case.
61 trucks carrying tonnes of industrial explosives went missing on way to Madhya Pradesh from RECL on August 13 last year. The Rajasthan ATS made a number of arrests in the case but barring the recovery of a few trucks, it failed to find the remaining explosives. The trucks were sent by RECL to mining companies in MP.
The Rajasthan police has questioned a number of RECL employees. The ATS is investigating whether the explosives are linked to the activities of right-wing Hindu extremist groups and Maoists. Sources said the case is likely to be transferred to National Investigation Agency.
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