Inspector B M Kale of Kongaon Police Station said construction firm Tata Housing had handed a consignment to the five persons to sell steel scrap, worth nearly Rs 41 lakh, from one of their projects in Rajnoli area of Bhiwandi here, to dealers.
The five accused, three employed with firm AJ Enterprises and Bar Code company (scrap dealer firm) and two scrap dealers, were handed over the deal to sell the scrap and were handed over two vehicles loaded with scrap, weighing 28,780 kgs, valuing around Rs 41.60 lakh, he said.
Tata Housing's vigilance team, on a tip-off, reached the weighing spot last night and during the process caught the accused indulging in the fraudulence and informed the police.
The five persons, identified as -- Asmat Ali Chowdhary (28), Mohammad Shair Sheikh (44), driver Liakatali Ajmalali Pollar (37), Iqlak Khan (37) and Aas Mohmammad (28) -- were held in the wee hours, Kale said.