Siliguri, Nov. 17 -- A significant case of theft and fraud has been uncovered involving construction materials meant for a hydropower project in Sikkim. Reports indicate that a businessman had been contracted to transport a large consignment of steel plates and rods to the project site. However, during transit, the driver allegedly diverted and sold 12 steel plates in Siliguri, each valued at nearly Rs 2 lakh.

A complaint filed at Bhaktinagar Police Station triggered a detailed investigation. During the probe, police arrested two individuals suspected to be involved in the theft. Authorities also recovered five steel plates that had been buried in a pit near a pipeline along the Eastern Bypass. The recovered materials are estimated to be...