Cops bust urea diversion racket; 11 arrested

Thane, Sept 21 (PTI) Thane rural police seized urea stock with an estimated value of Rs 78 lakh and arrested 11 people in connection with the alleged illegal diversion of fertiliser, an official said on Sunday.

Prima facie, the accused were diverting subsidised urea meant for farmers into the black market by disguising it as industrial material.

Police intercepted two 16-wheeler trucks loaded with hundreds of urea bags, suspiciously marked for "industrial use" on Saturday, according to a release issued by police.

The Agriculture Department was immediately called in. Officials confirmed that the stock comprised semi-coated urea meant for farming, which had been illegally repacked in plain white bags for industrial resale, police said.

The seizure followed a raid by police and crime branch personnel at a godown in Padgha village on the Mumbai-Nashik Highway on the same evening.

Police found workers engaged in repackaging of agricultural-grade urea into white bags.

"Seizures include 1,217 bags of urea worth Rs 35.90 lakh, 51 bags of yellow agricultural-grade urea estimated to cost Rs 13,586, 700 bags each from the two intercepted trucks, collectively valued at Rs 41.30 lakh, and repackaging material," police said.

The 11 arrested people include eight workers of the godown, two drivers, and a cleaner of the trucks.

A case has been registered at Padgha police station under provisions of the Fertiliser Control Order, 1985, the Fertiliser (Transport Control) Order, 1973, the Essential Commodities Act, 1955, and relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita.

Further investigation is underway. PTI COR NSK