AP police arrest ex-TN Min in red sanders case, likely to arrest ex-AP Min

Hyderabad, April 20, 2015: AP Task Force police , entrusted with the responsibility of nabbing the real smugglers of red sanders in Seshachalam forests, have reportedly taken into custody a former Tamil Nadu minister. Reports said that very soon a former minister of AP also may be arrested for his involvement in red sanders smuggling from Seshachalam forests. The task force police, who seized mobile phones of those killed in the encounter, have been examining their call data. Based on the call data, AP police have visited Tamil Nadu and arrested 16 persons two days ago for organising the felling of red sanders trees in Seshachalam forests and smuggling the logs. A former minister of TN was immediately arrested based on the information given by the 16 persons. Very soon, a former minister of AP also is likely to be arrested. The AP police came to know that the organisers of red sanders tree felling had their main operational center at Red Hills in Chennai. Mostly leaders of DMK and other parties were involved in the smuggling.Some local leaders of Chittor district were also involved in the smuggling activity, according to reports. Meanwhile, AP police have asked the West Bengal police to conduct raids and siege red sanders logs kept illegally in the former TN Minister-owned go-downs near Kolkata. These stocks were being sent to China via illegal routes bordering Nepal and Burma. As per the request of AP police, WB police conducted raids on the go-downs and seized 11 tons of A grade read sanders logs.