Nagpur: A startling layer of digital manipulation has surfaced in the Samruddhi Expressway steel diversion case, exposing what investigators describe as a well-engineered and technologically driven fraud designed to siphon off tonnes of steel without raising suspicion in official records.
The investigation has revealed that the racket was not a routine theft but a systematic operation built around hacking and tampering with weighbridge systems, enabling the accused to manipulate weight data and quietly divert large quantities of steel meant for infrastructure projects.
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Apr 09,2026 - Time 10.30Hrs
According to police, trailers carrying steel from the Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) plant at Butibori were officially dispatched for delivery in Parbhani. Instead of following the authorised route, the trucks were allegedly diverted nearly 50 kilometres away to Kalamna, a logistics hub in Nagpur, where the fraudulent operation was executed.
Investigators say the trailers were first taken to private weighbridges locally known as Patidar Kaata and Superway Kaata, where the original weight of the loaded steel was recorded.
Assistant Police Inspector Sudhakar Khaje, who is probing the case with the Parbhani Police, said the vehicles were then driven to a shed in the Yashodhara Nagar area, shockingly located barely 100 metres from the local police station.
“Inside the shed, between eight and ten tonnes of steel was removed from each trailer. The operation was carried out swiftly before the trucks were sent back for another round of weighing,” Khaje said.
After the partial unloading, the trailers were again taken to the same weighbridges where the reduced weight was checked. This allowed the gang to precisely calculate how much steel had been siphoned off before dispatching the vehicles onward to Parbhani, making the theft appear invisible during routine transit checks.
Police officials say the most alarming aspect of the scam lies in the digital manipulation of official records. The prime accused, Shahbaz, who is currently absconding, allegedly played a central role in this high-tech deception.
Investigators claim Shahbaz would arrive at the weighbridge locations in a Mahindra Thar SUV, disguised as a truck driver to avoid suspicion. During the official weighing process, he is suspected to have used a digital device to tamper with the weighbridge software, altering the recorded data.
“Despite the removal of several tonnes of steel, the system would display the same original weight. The minus weight was managed so cleverly that it appeared completely normal in official records,” a police officer said.
The manipulation ensured that neither transport records nor dispatch documentation raised red flags, allowing the racket to function undetected for a significant period.
Police teams have now been deployed to track down Shahbaz and identify other members of the network who may have facilitated the diversion, storage and resale of the stolen steel.
Investigators suspect that the fraud may have involved insiders and technical assistance, raising serious questions about how such large-scale manipulation of industrial cargo could continue without triggering alarms.
The probe is ongoing, and officials say more revelations are expected as the digital evidence and transport records are examined in detail.
