Palamu police investigate racket using fake transit challans for transporting illegally mined minerals

Daltonganj: Palamu police have begun probing the operations of a racket which allegedly transported illegally mined minerals by using fake transit challans from Madhya Pradesh. Investigation has begun a day after three trucks, which were carrying illegally mined stone chips and having fake challans from the MP govt, were seized Chainpur and Chhaterpur.Palamu SP Reeshma Rameshan said, “Two trucks, with Madhya Pradesh mineral transportation challans, were seized in Chhaterpur while another one was seized in Chainpur. Each of the trucks contained 26 cubic metres of stone chips,” she said.Drivers were arrested under sections of the BNSS, Mines & Minerals Development & Regulations Act and Jharkhand Mineral Prevention of Illegal Mining, Transportation, and Storage Rules, Rameshan said. Two of the arrested drivers are from Bihar while one is from Jharkhand, the police said.The seized trucks bore registration numbers from Nagaland, Bihar, and Jharkhand. “There is a racket which is operating using fake challans. This is also causing losses to the state exchequer. Further investigation is underway to uncover the nexus,” SP said. Police sources said it has received inputs on a mining racket, which is operating from Chhattisgarh in a similar fashion.Sunil Kumar, the district mining officer of Palamu, said, “As per rules, a mineral transportation challan must include mandatory details such as the challan date, consignor name, location, destination, mineral name, and mineral quantity. These details are either fudged or manipulated in fake challans.”Sources said fake challans are being used to transport minerals from illegal quarries in Nawa Bazar, Chainpur and Chhaterpur blocks.