The Pimpri Chinchwad police have arrested the prime accused in the red sandalwood smuggling case that was uncovered earlier this year.
The accused have been identified as Rajendra Vitthal Shinde, 43, from Vashi in Navi Mumbai and Tausif Riyaz Jamadar. The arrests were made on July 10 and 11 respectively.
On March 2, the Pimpri Chinchwad crime branch seized over 15 tonnes of red sandalwood on the expressway while it was being smuggled to Mumbai from Bengaluru in Karnataka.
The driver and container of the truck were arrested by the police. Police investigation revealed that the sandalwood was to be smuggled outside the country. The value of the seized red sandalwood is around ₹9 crore.
Consequently, a case has been filed at Shirgaon Parandwadi police station under 303(2), 3(5) of the BNS and sections 26, 41, 42 of the Bhartiya Van Adhiniyam and other sections. During the investigation, police identified six accused in the case and arrested them.
However, prime accused Shinde and Kalpesh Singh were absconding and an arrest warrant was also issued against Shinde.
Recently police got information that Shinde was present in Neral. Accordingly in the early hours of July 10, he was taken into custody. During his custodial interrogation, he said Kalpesh Singh is actually Jamadar and he is living in Kopar Khairane in Navi Mumbai.
{{/usCountry}}Recently police got information that Shinde was present in Neral. Accordingly in the early hours of July 10, he was taken into custody. During his custodial interrogation, he said Kalpesh Singh is actually Jamadar and he is living in Kopar Khairane in Navi Mumbai.
{{/usCountry}}Accordingly, Jamadar was arrested on July 11 from Kopar Khairane. Both accused were granted police custody till July 15.
Shivaji Pawar, DCP crime, Pimpri Chinchwad police, said, “Kalpesh Singh is Jamadar. By taking the name of Singh he had committed a crime.”