Driver who fled after selling 450 cartons of rum held in Himachal
RUDRAPUR: A truck driver, who was absconding after allegedly selling 450 cartons of rum has been arrested near China border in Himachal Pradesh. The accused was produced before court on Saturday and sent to jail, said police.
PS Meena, senior superintendent of police (SSP), said, “The driver who fled after selling government supplied rum in the first week of December has been caught from a village close to China border in Himachal Pradesh. Eight accused have already been arrested in the same case.”
Meena said Vijay Joshi alias Pappu Joshi, a driver and resident of Sher Vijaypur a village in Chamoli district loaded 450 cartons of rum from the Bottling plant of Bindweshri Exim Pvt Ltd, Tehri.
He left for Haldwani on December 1 and was expected to reach Haldwani on December 3. He allegedly sold the consignment in Gairsain and disappeared after parking the empty truck in Dwarahat of Almora district.
Anupam Semwal, a resident Gumaniwala Rishikesh lodged a complaint with Dwarahat police station against Vijay Joshi. Police registered the case under IPC section 407 (criminal breach of trust), 420 ( fraud) and 427 (mischief causing damage to the amount of fifty rupees), said Meena.
The SSP handed over the case to Gaurav Joshi, station officer, Dwarhat police station and special operation group. Police caught Vijay from Sipilo under Pooh police station near China border in Kinnaur area of Himachal Pradesh on December 30. He was staying in a guest house and had opened a bank account with ₹68000.
Meena said, “Vijay revealed that he sold the casket of rum to one Rajendra Singh alias Raju Negi of Gairsain at the cost of ₹600000 through Anil Pawar.
He gave ₹75000 to Pawar as commission for conducting the deal.”
He said after selling the rum, Vijay fled to Tanakpur and Banbasa by a taxi leaving the truck in Dwarahat to flee Nepal but he couldn’t cross the border due sealing the Indo-Nepal border because of Covid-19 outbreak. He again booked a taxi and went to Chandigarhand and stayed there for 2-3 days. After the arrest of the other accused in the case, he reached Sipilo to evade his own arrest.
“Vijay was traced and caught with the help of surveillance. Police recovered ₹3.91-lakh from him besides ₹ 68000 in the bank. IPC Section 411(dishonestly receiving stolen property) and 120B (whoever is a party to a criminal conspiracy) have been added in his case. Eight accused have already been arrested in the case and were sent to jail on December 11 after recovery of 390 caskets from them, said Meena.
Notably, a sub-inspector Harish Prasad was suspended in the same case for dereliction of duties after the complaint of excise officials. The officials had complained to Ashok Kumar, director general of police (DGP), Uttarakhand.