Jamshedpur: Allegations of an organised blackmailing racket have surfaced in Jamshedpur’s industrial belt, with the Jamshedpur Truck Trailer Owner Association claiming that companies and transport vendors have been subjected to illegal levy and intimidation in the name of a transport body.
Addressing a press conference, the association’s President, Jasbir Singh Sire, alleged that for the past three to four years, a so-called unregistered association has been harassing stakeholders involved in transportation and loading operations linked to Tata Steel.
Sire alleged that around 18 vendors in Jamshedpur are engaged in work related to Tata Steel. Every month, nearly 150 vehicles undertake lifting operations from the city, handling approximately four lakh tonnes of loading and unloading work. An illegal levy of Rs 10 per tonne is allegedly being demanded, amounting to a significant monthly extortion.
The controversy centres around a person identified as Jai Kishore Singh, who is accused of running an association without any valid registration. Association members have demanded a thorough investigation by the police into how a person with neither vehicles nor staff is operating an unregistered union. It was also alleged that four false cases have been filed against transporters within a year.
According to a complaint filed with the Burmamines police, the accused is not only demanding a levy but is also pressuring the company to provide a job to his son and to pay Rs 4 lakh towards personal expenses. It has been alleged that although work is awarded through an open tender process to the lowest bidder, attempts are being made to disrupt the procedure and channel work through specific intermediaries. The association claimed that internal shortcomings of some vendors have been exploited over the years to sustain the alleged blackmailing racket.
Another point of contention relates to monthly physical check-ups of transport workers conducted as per Tata Steel’s directives. While employees are not required to bear the cost, and vehicle owners pay for the tests, allegations have been made that Rs 100 is being collected in the name of body check-ups and that blood samples are being misused. The association termed these claims as part of a strategy to establish dominance in the sector.
Transporters and company representatives have expressed serious concern over the situation and indicated that they are considering legal action while seeking administrative intervention. Among those present at the press conference were General Secretary Manish Singh, Vipin Jha, Vijendra Kumar, Ajit Singh, Ramesh Singh, Amarjit Bhatia, Vinod Rai, A K Mandal, B N Lal and Gautam Kumar, along with several other office-bearers.
