Thane: After the arrest of a 53-year-old quarry contractor from Bhiwandi with 12,000 gelatin sticks and 3008 electronic detonators, the Thane crime branch has arrested the second accused, a license holder consumer from Ahmednagar for supplying the explosive illegally.
The police said the consumer is identified as Amol Valmik Jondhale, 35, a resident of Ahmednagar. "We found that Jondhale had supplied the explosive illegally to Mhatre. So he was arrested on Tuesday night. He was produced in court on Wednesday and remanded to police custody till May 22," said Krishna Kokani, senior police inspector, Thane crime branch unit 1.
The police during investigation found Jondhale is a license holder for purchasing the explosive. He had purchased the explosive from Solar Industries in Nagpur and Deccan Power company in Pune. "Jondhale was authorized to use the explosive at his quarry or road project. But instead he supplied it to Mhatre illegally. Mhatre was not a license holder and had no permission for keeping the explosive. On primary investigation it is found that the supply was made on May 16. We are further checking how many times in the past he had supplied the explosive to Mhatre or any other dealers. What was the reason for supplying such a huge quantity? Also, whether the quantity of explosive Jondhale brought was permitted for a license holder. We are checking if he had any illegal deal with the officials from the firm. As every supply from the firm is recorded in the register," said a police officer.
The police on Monday raided the office and store room of Gurunath Kashinath Mhatre, 53, at his office in Mittal Enterprise at Kharivali village. The team found gelatin sticks and detonators in huge quantities, worth ₹2.02 lakh. They were stored in boxes containing the names of licenced firms.
