Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (SP)

Suratkal, Jul 21: Officials of the mines and geology department who verified documents of trucks carrying iron ore to New Mangalore Port, stumbled upon an alleged racket of transporting iron ore illegally, using fake documents. Almost 48 trucks loaded with ore have been confiscated and 43 persons connected therein, have been arrested in this connection on Sunday July 20.

The staff of mines and geology department of the state, who smelt foul play in the documents in possession of the drivers of these trucks, have handed over the documents to the Suratkal police for further investigation. They have alleged that the documents produced by these trucks are fake and the trip sheets, permits of the mines and geology departments and all other documents pertaining to the ore transportation, have been prepared in a systematic way to hoodwink the authorities.

Like in several cases in the past, this step is being resorted to by transporters, for denying the state government the royalty payable to it on the mined ire ore. In the recent past, such cases have become rampant. The trucks possess receipts for having passed through several check-posts from Hospet till Suratkal as well as documents proving that the trucks were weighed.

Trip sheets issued in the names of Rajmohan Reddy and Shivshankar Reddy from Cuddapah district in Andhra Pradesh coupled with permit issued by the mines and geology department of Andhra Pradesh government, are used by these trucks. The officials are yet to verify the genuineness of these documents. Suratakal police inspector H Y Jagadish and sub-inspector Ramesh are conducting investigations.