Durg–Bhilai police say their probe into an organised network that stole scrap from Bhilai Steel Plant (BSP) has uncovered property and jewellery bought with proceeds from the thefts, and the case has widened after key arrests. Three suspects whose seven-day police remand ended on Monday were produced in court and sent to judicial custody, officials said.

The operation dates to a raid on May 26, when officers acting on a tip-off searched AK Traders in Hathkhoj area of Bhilai and found large consignments of suspicious scrap loaded in trucks and hiwas — heavy iron plates, beam cuttings and other industrial scrap that matched materials missing from BSP, police said. Subsequent searches led to the seizure of about 250 tonnes of scrap; police estimate its market value at roughly Rs 90 lakh and put the total assets seized, including vehicles and machinery, at about Rs 3.22 crore.

Interrogation of the main accused, identified as Sanjay Singh, reportedly revealed that the illicit proceeds were invested in land, houses and gold and silver jewellery. A locker belonging to the alleged mastermind was searched and jewellery worth about Rs 50 lakh and documents linked to property worth nearly Rs 3 crore were recovered, police said.

Investigators told reporters they reconstructed the scene by taking suspects to the route from Khursipar Gate to SMS‑3, where scrap had been consolidated and loaded for transport. During the exercise officers also seized vehicles fitted with fake number plates, which were allegedly used to move the stolen material to the market, the statement said.

The case has already produced a growing list of arrests. Police had previously arrested nine suspects and sent them to jail; Sanjay Singh was arrested later from Deoria in Uttar Pradesh after a targeted search and was handed a seven‑day remand on June 16. Further questioning led to the arrests of Amit Sharma (aka Kailash Sharma) and Aakash Kumar Singh, police said. In all, authorities say 12 accused have now been detained in connection with the ring.

Durg district police said they are now mapping the accused’s investments — bank accounts, land records and properties — and preparing seizure (attachment) orders where appropriate. “We are scrutinising financial trails to recover proceeds of crime and will take legal steps to attach illicitly acquired assets,” an officer said.

Why it matters: the operation exposed how organised theft at an industrial plant can be converted quickly into legitimate‑looking assets, widening the harm beyond the immediate loss of material. Large-scale scrap theft from manufacturing hubs can disrupt supply chains, damage plant operations and create a market for crime proceeds that corrupts local trade.

What police will do next: officers said forensic accounting of seized assets and ongoing interrogation aim to trace the full network, identify buyers of stolen scrap and determine whether any plant insiders were complicit. The probe will determine whether further property attachments and criminal charges — including for organised theft, fraud and use of forged documents — are warranted.

Rajya Sabha MP fires up party cadre at Shaheed Smarak Bhavan, calls state government a "garbad engine"

Rajya Sabha MP and senior Aam Aadmi Party leader Sanjay Singh on Monday addressed a workers' conference in Raipur, rallying party cadres with a combative message: fight for the public's rights without fear, even if it means jail. The event, held at Shaheed Smarak Bhavan in the state capital, drew a large turnout of AAP office-bearers and grassroots workers from across Chhattisgarh.

"Garbad Engine" Jibe at BJP

Singh came out swinging against both the state and central governments. Dismissing the BJP's "double engine government" narrative, he said Chhattisgarh is instead running on a "garbad engine" — a broken, dysfunctional setup that has failed ordinary citizens. He accused the ruling dispensation of allowing the state's mineral wealth to be plundered while residents continue to suffer from inflation, unemployment, and a crumbling healthcare system.

Forests and natural resources, he alleged, are being handed over to big industrialists, leaving local communities with little to show for the state's rich endowments.

Schools Shut, Youth Adrift

On education, Singh alleged that the BJP government has shut thousands of schools, directly harming the prospects of children from poorer families. He contrasted this with AAP's record in Delhi, pointing to the transformation of government schools and the Mohalla Clinic model as examples of what political will can achieve. "Ten years of Arvind Kejriwal's work in Delhi has shown what governance for the people actually looks like," he said, urging workers to carry that message to every village and booth in the state.

He pressed cadres to focus on expanding the organisation at the grassroots level, calling booth-level strengthening critical ahead of future elections.

Congress Not Spared

Singh's attack was not limited to the BJP. He argued that voters in Chhattisgarh have grown disillusioned with both established parties. "The public is looking for a third option," he said, positioning AAP as that alternative. The party, he indicated, will step up its organisational drive across the state in the months ahead.

Solidarity With D.Ed Candidates

After the conference, Singh drove to a protest site near Mana-Tuta where D.Ed degree holders have been agitating for a considerable period, demanding regularisation of their jobs or recruitment. He spent time listening to their grievances and pledged his support.

Acknowledging that the candidates have persisted through harsh weather conditions, Singh said the state government cannot afford to keep ignoring their demands. He advised the protesters to form a delegation of five to ten members to formally engage with the government and added that he would raise their issue in Parliament if necessary.

Senior Leadership Present

The workers' conference was also attended by Chhattisgarh in-charge Mukesh Ahlawat, co-in-charges Saurabh Jha and Samar Kumar, acting state president Uttam Jaiswal, along with Abhishek Mishra, Devalal Nareti, state general secretary Wadood Alam, and chief spokesperson Suraj Upadhyay, among others.

The gathering signals a renewed push by AAP to build serious electoral infrastructure in Chhattisgarh, a state where the party has yet to make a significant dent but is clearly investing in long-term presence.

Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha on Sunday issued his first video statement after quitting the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and joining the BJP, alleging that AAP had turned into a “toxic” political organisation controlled by a few “corrupt and compromised” individuals. Raghav Chadha said the party no longer reflected the principles on which it was founded and claimed internal dissent had been systematically stifled.

In his statement, Raghav Chadha said he had spent 15 years building AAP but could no longer continue in what he described as a hostile political environment. He said the party had stopped functioning as a platform for public service and was now being run for personal gain by a select group of leaders.

Toxic Work Charge

Raghav Chadha alleged that AAP’s internal work culture had become deeply restrictive, with leaders being prevented from speaking in Parliament and discouraged from functioning independently. He said the work environment had become so toxic that meaningful political engagement was no longer possible.

According to Raghav Chadha, the party leadership had increasingly sidelined those who raised concerns or sought reform. He said the atmosphere within the organisation had become comparable to a workplace where employees were routinely silenced and their work suppressed.

Three Options Before Him

Explaining his decision, Raghav Chadha said he had weighed three options before leaving AAP. The first was to quit politics altogether. The second was to remain in the party and attempt internal reform. The third was to continue in public life through another political platform.

He said he chose the third option and joined the BJP to continue what he called “positive politics”. Raghav Chadha maintained that his move was not personal but political, and aimed at continuing public service with greater institutional support.

Seven MPs Back Move

Raghav Chadha also defended the collective exit of seven Rajya Sabha MPs from AAP, arguing that the scale of the split reflected deeper problems within the party. He said one or two leaders could be dismissed as dissenters, but seven MPs leaving together could not be ignored.

The Rajya Sabha has since approved the merger of seven former AAP MPs with the BJP. With this, Raghav Chadha, Ashok Mittal, Vikramjit Sahney, Harbhajan Singh, Sandeep Pathak, Swati Maliwal and Rajinder Gupta now stand officially recognised as BJP members in the Upper House. The development has raised the BJP’s tally in the Rajya Sabha to 113.

AAP Pushes Back

AAP has strongly contested the exits and the merger process. Party leaders have accused the MPs of political betrayal and indicated they would challenge the move through parliamentary procedure.

Senior AAP leader Sanjay Singh has said the party will seek disqualification proceedings by writing to the Rajya Sabha Chairman, arguing that only three MPs had formally joined the BJP at the initial stage. In Punjab, protests have been reported outside the homes of some of the MPs who left AAP, with demonstrators accusing them of betraying the party mandate.

Political Fallout Widens

The fallout has triggered a wider political confrontation between AAP and BJP, especially in Punjab and Delhi, where the party had built much of its support base. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has also sought time from President Droupadi Murmu over the matter and is expected to raise concerns linked to defections and political accountability.

The split marks one of the biggest internal ruptures in AAP since its formation and is likely to reshape its parliamentary strength and political messaging ahead of key electoral contests.

What Happens Next

The next phase will likely centre on legal and procedural scrutiny of the Rajya Sabha merger, along with AAP’s political response on the ground. Party leaders are expected to intensify outreach to contain organisational damage, while the BJP is likely to project the move as a sign of growing national support.

For Raghav Chadha, the immediate challenge will be to justify the shift politically and retain credibility among voters who backed him as an AAP leader.

The AAP MPs defection row sharpened on Sunday after Aam Aadmi Party Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh formally wrote to Rajya Sabha Chairman C.P. Radhakrishnan, seeking the disqualification of seven party MPs. In his petition, Singh alleged that the lawmakers had chosen to join the Bharatiya Janata Party and had, therefore, attracted provisions of the anti-defection law.

According to party sources, the complaint names Raghav Chadha among the seven MPs and argues that their move amounts to a clear case of defection under constitutional provisions.

Anti-Defection Law Cited

In his representation, Singh invoked the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution, which deals with disqualification on grounds of defection. He argued that the MPs could not claim legal protection merely by citing numbers or internal alignment, and said the reported shift violated the constitutional framework governing party loyalty in Parliament.

The anti-defection law disqualifies legislators if they voluntarily give up membership of their party or vote against the party line without authorisation. Singh maintained that the present case fell squarely within that framework.

Legal Opinion Taken

Sanjay Singh said the party had consulted senior legal and constitutional experts before moving the petition. He said opinions were taken from senior advocate Kapil Sibal and former parliamentary officials to assess the legal position before approaching the Chairman.

According to Singh, the legal advice received by the party was consistent and pointed to disqualification as the likely constitutional outcome if the allegations were established.

AAP Signals Legal Fight

The AAP leadership has indicated that it plans to contest the matter both politically and legally. Singh said the party would pursue the issue aggressively and would not treat it as a routine political disagreement.

He described the alleged move by the seven MPs as unconstitutional and said the party would challenge it through all available institutional channels. He also indicated that AAP was prepared to escalate the matter beyond Parliament if required.

Supreme Court Precedents

Singh said AAP would rely not only on the anti-defection law but also on past Supreme Court rulings that have interpreted the scope of defections and party mergers. He said earlier judgments had laid down clear principles on legislative conduct, party discipline and constitutional morality.

Legal observers note that the outcome could depend on whether the Chairman views the reported move as an individual defection or a legally sustainable split or merger under the Tenth Schedule.

Political Stakes Rise

The development has added a fresh layer of tension to the ongoing political contest between AAP and the BJP. With the matter now placed before the Rajya Sabha Chairman, the dispute has moved from political messaging to a constitutional test with wider implications.

The case may also trigger a broader debate over the use of anti-defection provisions in the Upper House, where party discipline and political realignment often create legal grey areas.