TIRUPATI/Chennai: In a first, a Chennai-based dentist who is believed to be in the top ring of international smugglers for the most sought after wood, was arrested by the Red Sanders Anti Smuggling Task Force (RSASTF).Two others, of whom one is a previous offender who is also from Chennai and a Chittoor resident were among those arrested. Meanwhile, a hunt is on for the doctor’s sibling who is also suspected to be involved in the trade and another person.
The dentist Sakthivel, of Red Hills, was picked up along with Vaiko Ravi, also from Red Hills, by the RSASTF personnel without intimating the local police and the family. During sustained interrogation, the RSASTF managed to seize 23 red sanders logs worth '40 lakhs from their possession.
Sakthivel, a resident of Mondiyamman Nagar, had not figured in the surveillance list of the TN police yet. Cops suspect he could have used his clinic as a front to carry out the red sander deals. Vaiko Ravi is said to have defected from MDMK and joined the ranks of the ruling AIADMK party last year. However, his moniker of ‘Vaiko’ which he added to his name out of love for the MDMK founder had stuck to him.
Disclosing details to media persons at the RSASTF police station in Tirupati on Monday, RSASTF DSP SV Sridhar Rao said that acting on a tip off the force had conducted a raid on a place near Bonthalamma temple on the Karakambadi road in the city on Monday afternoon.
The smugglers were arrested when they were making arrangements to shift a set of logs. The arrested smugglers were identified as Dr Sakthivel, dentist who runs the SV Dental hospital in Red Hills, Vaiko Ravi, native of Red Hills and Pasupuleti Babu, native of Pichhatur in Chittoor district.
Sakthivel is said to have connections with international red sanders smugglers like Ali bhai and Shahi bhai and he travelled often to Dubai, Hong Kong and other countries. In the guise of a medical practitioner, Sakthivel was doing this illegal business for the past several years, the DSP said. He used to smuggle the logs to China, Hong Kong and other countries from Tuticorin port using hawala deals for settlement. Following the information provided by the accused, police are hunting for absconding smugglers Kodandan and Manoharan who is Sakthive’s brotherl.
The DSP further said the accused will be remanded to judicial custody and as per the new forest act the properties of the accused will be confiscated. According to available information, Dr Sakthivel is owning a building in Redhills and other properties on benami, DSP said.
