HERALD REPORTERS BUST GANG OF LIQUOR SMUGGLERS AT MARGAO STATION

MARGAO: This was the stuff Bollywood action thrillers are made of. Our weeklong comprehensive investigation into the manufacturing, movement and smuggling of liquor from liquor dens in Goa to places like Gujarat and Kerala on long-distance trains, brought us to ground zero, the Margao railway station on September 1. During our several rounds of inspections a pattern was revealed to us. We watched over a week when consignments were loaded and gathered details such as which direction the gang moved. On September 1 we decided to strike.  

 A major consignment was about to be loaded onto the Thiruvanthapuram-Veraval Express headed to Gujarat from Kerala. The Herald investigation team comprising Navin Jha, Basuri Desai and photo journalist cum cameraperson Prasad Naik camped at Margao railway station. Action started at 11.30 pm

Act 1 Scene 1: TRAIN 

ARRIVES. KINGPIN PRADEEP PANDEY REACHES: 

Around 11.30 am railway authorities announced the train’s arrival at platform Number 1 instead of 2. Minutes before the train could arrive; three persons including kingpin Pradeep Pandey offered prayers by bowing under a Bodhi tree and started their operation by moving towards platform number 1 with two heavy bags. 

CHASE & CAPTURE

Before they could cross the railway line, Navin and Prasad chased Pandey while Basuri covered the other end.  Navin and Prasad managed to confront an unsuspecting and completely shocked and shaken Pandey. No policeman in Margao had dared to touch him till now. All this happened in filmy style and Pandey’s attempts to flea were thwarted by Herald reporters who had him covered on all sides. He finally gave up and surrendered but the others following him managed to flee. But Pandey had two of the bags laden with illicit liquor and that’s what we wanted to seize

THE RETALIATION

A member from Pandey’s team dared to return with a screw driver in his hand to defend Pandey, and attack Herald reporters but realising that other passengers had gathered, he fled.

HERALD HANDS OVER SMUGGLER TO SHOCKED AND STUMPED KONKAN RAILWAYPOLICE

Herald reporters took Pandey to the Konkan Railway police station where the officers were surprised to see him with his liquor consignment. Police had no clue of the identity of those who had caught Pandey and were handing him over to them. The identity of the Herald reporters came as a shock to the police.

Before further details could be provided to the police, Pandey’s cell phone, which Basuri had seized from Pandey, began to ring. The caller was a passenger waiting on the train to receive the illegal consignment enroute to Gujarat. Basuri pretended he was Pandey and said he would reach the train shortly. The caller told Pandey (Basuri) that he was seated in Coach B 2. Herald reporters asked the dazed police to accompany them to figure out who the caller was. 

BACK TO THE THIRUVANTHAPURAM-VERAVAL EXPRESS

The passenger was traced and upon questioning, he told Herald that a friend from the Defence forces had given him details about the easy availability of liquor at Margao railway station. The friend had even provided a cell phone number of one Guriji (as Pandey is known). The passenger revealed that he was a frequent traveller and had seen passengers purchasing bottles from persons at the station and from pantry staff during journey.

BACK TO THE KONAN RAILWAY POLICE STATION

Returning to the police station, Herald reporters asked police officials whether they had information on Pandey or any other groups carrying out smuggling activities in their jurisdiction. A police officer quickly replied, “We are always keeping a constant watch on such activities and in the last one-and-half year have booked 15 people for carrying liquor without permission and beyond permissible limits.”

But Herald had found not one but 15 in just one operation involved in the liquor smuggling, who gathered under the Bodhi tree, located at one side of the railway station, prayed for good luck and started their operation 

BRIBES TO COPS? KONKAN POLCIE FEIGNS IGNORANCE

Herald also informed Police Inspector Santosh Dessai that in the course of investigation, a few people involved in the smuggling alleged that they paid huge bribes to officials, including railway police, local police and others to carryout out smuggling activities.

Desai refuted and said, “I have not got any information about smuggling through railways. I am not involved in accepting bribes, however, one thing is sure that such people mostly take big names to avoid getting caught.”

CONSTABLE RECONGNISES SMUGGLER AND ENGAGES IN FRIENDLY BANTER

But this lie was nailed when during this conversation one constable unaware of Herald’s operation walked in to see Pradeep Pandey sitting in the station. Recognising him, he asked in Hindi, “Arre Pandey, tum yaha kay kar rahein ho?” ( Arre Pandey, what are you doing here?). A railway cop paid by the government to watch over illegal activities, asks a smuggler just caught with an illegal liquor consignment, what he was dong at his police station. Herald rests its case.

Our brave-heart reporters did their job and walked away. We will revert soon to tell you what action the police finally took against the liquor mafia.