Surat: An illegal operation selling government-subsidized neem-coated urea fertilizer to industrial units has been busted by the Surat Crime Branch, leading to an arrest in Noida, Uttar Pradesh. The accused had been capitalizing on the higher market price of technical-grade urea by illegally selling the cheaper, subsidized fertilizer meant for agricultural use.
The suspect, identified as Shokeen Islamuddin Saifi, a resident of Noida, Uttar Pradesh, was traced following a tip-off about an industrial unit in Surat's Udhna area. The unit was allegedly storing and selling the agricultural-grade fertilizer illegally. As a result of the tip, charges were laid against the industrial unit managers at the Sachin GIDC police station.
Upon further investigation, the Surat Crime Branch dispatched a team to Uttar Pradesh, leading to Saifi's arrest. Subsequent interrogations revealed that Saifi had been involved in the business of Chemical Soda Caustic Technical Grade Urea through a company named Rana Industries located in Surat's Sachin area since May 2022.
Saifi allegedly purchased neem-coated urea, intended for agricultural use, at lower rates from Babaji Company of Uttar Pradesh. This urea was then sold illegally in Surat and the surrounding areas. Saifi has been arrested and remanded in custody for three days by the Surat court.
The Crime Branch has now initiated further investigations to determine the source of the illegal urea, potential supply chain recipients, and to which industrial units this quantity has been distributed. Police investigations have uncovered previous cases registered against Saifi in Palsana and Pandesara police stations for illegal storage and sale of Neem Coated Urea, raising the possibility of more instances of illegal storage and sales being uncovered.
