Syndicate busted in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar; Four arrested including driver
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: In a significant crackdown, police authorities in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar have dismantled a sand smuggling syndicate employing sophisticated tactics to evade law enforcement. The sand smugglers employed an agent who tracked the whereabouts of police and revenue vehicles before transporting sand into the city.
As per information, the Cidco police received a tip-off about illicit sand smuggling activity in the city. PSI Pramod Devkate, along with constable Amol Ambhore, intercepted a vehicle registered as a milk dairy truck (MH20 - EL - 9705) in N-8. The driver, Jamil Khalil Pathan (26, Savangi Bypass), confessed to transporting smuggled sand upon interrogation.
Further investigation revealed a network facilitating the operation. Pathan disclosed that Sumit Changdev Adhaav (24, Chinar Garden, Padegaon) provided real-time updates on police and revenue patrols using a luxury vehicle that drove a few kilometers ahead of the truck . Additionally, Rahul Saheb Phatakde and Ram Paherkar (both, Padegaon) were identified as key figures orchestrating the smuggling enterprise.
Traditionally, only drivers face legal consequences in sand smuggling cases. However, authorities have taken a decisive stance by arresting all implicated individuals, including Pathan, Adhaav, Phatakde, and Paherkar. Efforts are underway to locate Paherkar.