Crime branch sleuths arrest metal trader

AURANGABAD: The crime branch of the city on Tuesday arrested a local trader for allegedly loading stolen material in a private bus heading for Indore last week.
The arrested accused has been identified as Shaikh Wasim, who is suspected to be the mastermind of an alleged inter-state gang involved in stealing heavy metal from the city and selling it in other states.
On January 16, the crime branch seized 27 bags containing 12 quintals of copper, aluminium and zinc from a private bus parked near Shani Mandir Corner. The officials also arrested the bus driver Pappu Khan Nasir Khan (40), a resident of Madhya Pradesh, and bus agent Salman Shaikh Rahim Shaikh (21) of Dhule. The accused are currently in police custody.
Following a tip-off that stolen material was being sent to Indore, the crime branch team laid a trap on Thursday, searched the bus and found 27 bags worth lakhs of rupees. The material was ready for being transported to a dealer in Indore, the officials said.
During interrogation, the suspects revealed that material was loaded by a scrap dealer having a godown in Qaiser Colony.
Unmesh Thite, investigating officer and assistant inspector of the crime branch, said, "We are trying to investigate the source of the metal. Once we get to know about that, the entire chain will be exposed."
The crime branch officials said the suspects would send the stolen material to Indore on the pretext of scrap. However, the quantity and quality of the seized metal from the bus and the godown points to a bigger inter-state racket, the officials added.