Illegal Biodiesel Racket Busted in Surat

Surat : The State Monitoring Cell (SMC) has exposed an illegal biodiesel racket operating in the Sachin GIDC and Utran areas of Surat. Authorities seized approximately 1.30 lakh liters of adulterated biodiesel with an estimated value of Rs 1.20 crore.

This operation has led to the arrest of four individuals involved in the smuggling and distribution of banned biodiesel, revealing a disturbing lapse in vigilance by the local police in Sachin and Utran.

The clandestine biodiesel network was found to be supplying adulterated biodiesel to various vehicles, including luxury buses. The SMC conducted coordinated raids at Plot No. 835/1 on Road No. 8 in Gopin Village, Utran, and the Sachin GIDC. The swift action resulted in the apprehension of Hitesh Praveen Koldia, Ravi Rajmani Mishra, Najibhai Dabhubhai Mitra, and Mahesh Rajabhai Goyani at both locations.

Furthermore, Alpesh Babubhai Donda, Lalit Babubhai Donda, Sanjay Madhubhai Tavia, Deepak Madhubhai Tavia, along with the owner of a local travel agency, Rukkadbhai Rabari, and the Travel Manager, Jitubhai Devjibhai Khishia, have been declared as wanted individuals in connection with this illegal operation.

Notably, Alpesh and Lalit Donda are known to be seasoned operators in illicit activities and are believed to have strong political affiliations, particularly with the local unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Lalit Donda is suspected to be the mastermind behind the illicit biodiesel network dismantled by the SMC. These individuals are known to have close ties with some senior police officers in Surat, adding an additional layer of complexity to this case.