Tito Links: Vigilance Raids 7 Govt Offices In Kendrapara

Kendrapara: Vigilance sleuths on Wednesday raided seven government offices in Kendrapara district to unearth the alleged links between officials and arrested gangster Tito alias Syed Usmal Ali.

Simultaneous raids were carried out on RTO offices in Cuttack, Chandikhol and Kendrapara, Derabish and Garadpur tehsil offices, Supply office and the Kendrapara Municipal office where several documents were seized.

The move came after the vigilance department came to know about some officials extending undue favours to the gangster.

On July 20, the Crime Branch sleuths had seized a gold-studded watch worth Rs 6 lakh of the gangster in Kendrapara district.

On Thursday, Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) chief general manager Pritish Bharat had hinted at lapses in allotment of petrol pumps to Tito.

“There could be irregularities on the part of IOCL but rights to grant No Objection Certificate (NOC) are with the collectors concerned,” the CGM had said.

Ruling out any political recommendation in allotment of the petrol pumps, Bharat had said that a CBI inquiry has been recommended as per the instructions from Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas.

Stating that guidelines were violated while allotting two petrol pumps – Sayed Brothers filling station in Kendrapara town and Adhoc dealership outlet at Paradip Port Trust- in the name of the gangster, the IOCL had demanded a thorough inquiry into the matter.

The Odisha Crime Branch had earlier arrested four of Tito’s associates, identified as Golden Papu, SK Abdulla, Imtiaz Khan and Jahangir Khan. They are among the eight detained on Tuesday for interrogation over their alleged links with the gangster.

Ten teams had carried out separate raids at various places in Cuttack and picked up these persons for interrogation.

Sources in the Special Task Force (STF) of Crime Branch said that the number of arrests may go up following interrogation of the detainees.

The gangster was sent to Barimul jail in Kendrapara district after being produced before the SDJM court here on Monday following the end of his three-day remand.

Tito was taken by the Crime Branch on remand for twelve days in three phases for interrogation on his criminal activities and business links.

The STF sleuths had on Sunday arrested two sharpshooters, SK Sayed and Babula, for their alleged links with the gangster. They are allegedly involved in more than 25 cases, including murder and extortion.

The STF has already sealed a furniture showroom owned by one of Tito’s relatives at Marsaghai in Kendrapara district. The raid was conducted after it came to know that the gangster had invested on this establishment.

The STF officials had also interrogated Tito’s wife Benazir Bibi at her residence at Dilarpur in the district for more than an hour over firms, petrol pumps and a luxurious car she owns.

Properties, including land, vehicles and houses, worth Rs 2 crore belonging to the gangster have also been unearthed during raids at different places.