PANJIM: Herald’s expose of liquor smuggling at Margao railway station led to an offence against Pradeep Pandey, who was nabbed by the Herald team, and directions to the railway police to be more vigilant.
Taking cognizance of Herald’s September 13 report, Assistant Security Commissioner RPF, Sateesham, has asked Konkan Railway police to tighten security to curb liquor smuggling from railway stations. “Orally I have asked Konkan Railway police and I will be writing to them shortly to keep strict vigil at railways stations thus curbing the nexus,” Sateesham said.
Konkan Railway PRO Baban Ghatge said that so far RPF at Margao Railway Station has seized liquor worth Rs 1 lakh this year. He said that Pandey was also arrested by RPF twice earlier and an offence registered against him.
Another Konkan Railway officer said that patrolling is done by the Konkan Railway police, but their vigilance has failed to stop smuggling for over a decade.
Konkan Railway Police Inspector Santosh Desai said they were not aware of these activities, though Herald found that the smugglers were operating from right behind the Police Station. He, however, said that a strict watch will be maintained to stop the illegal trade.
Desai said that an offence under Section 41 of the CrPC has been registered against Pandey and he has been handed over to Konkan Railway Police. The entire consignment of liquor has been handed over to Excise Department for further proceedings.
Margao Excise Inspector Nilesh Naik confirmed receiving the liquor from Konkan Railway Police and said that a separate offence has been registered against Pandey under the Goa Excise Act.
“We are verifying the quality and the production of the liquor and shortly we will submit a report to our head office,” Naik told Herald.
On September 1, 2015 the Herald team had nabbed Pandey, one of the kingpins of the liquor smuggling mafia that operates under the nose of KR Police at Margao station. He was then handed over to the police. Herald had reported on the modus operandi the mafia and how liquor was sold on trains and even delivered to other states.
