Amidst reports that the spirit diversion scam in the Travancore Sugars and Chemicals Limited (TSCL) goes far deeper than what meets the eye, the police have started verification of the stocks purchased by the State-owned company since February.
The investigators have collected the company’s records regarding the purchases and are verifying the stock registers to ascertain whether the black marketing of the material had taken place on earlier occasions as well.
“Upon collecting the details, the three accused persons in custody will be bought to custody to confirm the actual quantity diverted through this route. This may be followed by another round of detailed investigation,” said Biju.V.Nair, Station House Office, Pulikeezhu, who leads the investigation.
Meanwhile, efforts are on to trace the three company officials - general manager Alex.P.Abraham, personnel manager Hashim and production manager Megha Murali- who have gone into hiding since Friday. They are arraigned as accused in the case. The accused officials have been suspended from service pending further investigation.
Meanwhile, the sugar factory-turned-distillery is set to resume the production of Indian Made foreign Liquor on Monday.
The police on Saturday collected statements of the Kochi-based agency which is contracted to transport the spirit consignments purchased by the TSCL. Another team of investigators is slated to leave for Madhya Pradesh to trace the entities which purchased the rectified spirit.
Official sources attributed the leakage of information on the spirit theft to a raging competition among transportation companies. A recent finding by the Excise Department that the liquor brand produced by the TSCL used inferior quality spirit also raised suspicion among authorities.
Meanwhile, Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala on Saturday inaugurated a protest meet organised by the Indian National Trade Union Congress in front of the TSCL seeking a detailed probe into the spirit diversion scam.
