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Journalism of Courage
MUMBAI, July 31: An Ulhasnagar Municipal Corporation (UMC) corporator and Shiv Sena member Kishore K Keswani has been arrested in a case of chemical theft.
On July 27 at 10.30 pm, acting on a complaint received by Thane Commissioner of Police Bhujangrao Mohite, the Ulhasnagar police raided a tempo carrying 83 200 litre drums filled with the chemical at Bhagyalaxmi building, near Pinto Park Hotel, which is owned by Bhatija, in UNR-3. They arrested Mahendra Singh Nathuram Singh and the tempo driver Ramsingh Gajendra Singh Thapa. While the police are yet to ascertain the nature of the chemical, the joint value of the tempo and chemical is estimated at Rs 2,67,500.
Keswani was allegedly supervising the operation along with Kamal S Bhatija, the brother-in-law of Ulhasnagar’s deputy mayor Kumar Ailani. He was nabbed only on Friday, allegedly because the police were under political pressure not to arrest him. Bhatija is absconding.
Chemical theft has been taking place for over a decade in the area, saidsources. “The presence of chemical companies like Colour Chem, Century Chemicals and Dharamsee Morarjee Chemicals in the vicinity has made Ulhasnagar a prime spot for these operators,” said a senior UMC corporator, who runs a business of transporting chemicals. “When vigilance agencies began cracking down on these thefts at Panvel and Shilfata, the operators changed base and moved here,” he added.
Sena circles have clammed up and refused to comment. Sena heavyweight Gopal Rajwani was unavailable for comment, and mayor Yashaswini Naik and Sena leader in the house Rajendra Singh Bhullar said it was too early to say anything. Investigations into the case are being handled by API R D Athawale.
