Wood smuggling: ITBP men confess involvement

Shimla While the possibility of involvement of senior ITBP officials in the red sander wood smuggling case cannot be ruled out, the two arrested personnel have confessed to their association in the crime-taking place across the Indo-China border in the Lepcha area of Lahaul Spiti.The two arrested ITBP personnel, Deputy Commandant Sukhdev Singh Rana and Inspector Manmohan Singh, are presently in the police custody till September 20. It is reliably learnt that the two have admitted their involvement in the crime and the police has been able to find corroborating evidence. Both have now been placed under suspension following their arrest.However, there are indications that the police could lay its hand on some evidence, which could establish the involvement of a few senior officials of the ITBP posted on the Lepcha border. Three villages, located in Tibet along the banks of the Parechu, are visible from the Indian side at Lepcha and smuggling had been taking place here for the past some time.During interrogation, the two arrested ITBP officials have admitted accepting money in lieu of allowing illegal passage of the wood.“They, however, said the moment they got to know that the police had apprehended the trucks, they destroyed the cash received, though we have yet to confirm this,” said a police official.They have, reportedly, admitted to allowing smuggling small consignments of the red sander wood across the border even in the past. In fact, this time it was the biggest consignment which was being smuggled into China for which the licence was issued by them.During investigation, the police has been able to establish the fact that even in the past the two officials had been accepting favours, including monetary benefit, to allow smuggling of other products. This included jackets, shoes, crockery, flasks and other such products.Meanwhile, the police is trying to locate the main suspect Narinder who is the kingpin in the case. He was last seen at Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC), Shimla, on August 24 where his son was admitted,” said SR Rana, SP, Lahaul Spiti.The police has even questioned his wife and taken call details of her mobile number with little success. The police has tried to gather information about Narinder from his father and other relatives who live in Kaza but he has not got in touch with anyone.