The threat of assault and abduction posed by the “crime syndicate” in the auction market looms over the debt recovery tribunals (DRTs). This was expressed in no uncertain terms on Sunday by lawyers and officers of the tribunals.

Friday’s failed bid to abduct lawyer V.S. Bengani from DRT-I, at Salt Lake’s IA market, was a culmination of such criminal activities revolving around the bidding for prime plots and valuable machines, they explained.

Even as cops claimed a breakthrough by identifying a Behala promoter on the run as the prime suspect in the kidnap bid, the DRT officials demanded setting up of a permanent police outpost at their tribunals to curb the criminal elements.

“There are innumerable such crime syndicates formed by a section of bidders to under-value and grab plots and machinery going under the hammer,” said a lawyer practising at DRT I. “These syndicates ensure that the price of the auctioned property stays within the price line set by some bidders. If anyone tries to raise the bid value, the goons swing into action,” he added.

On Friday afternoon, a gang of six had abducted Bengani while he was entering IA Market to find out about a client’s auction bid. He was dragged into a Maruti van, which headed out of Salt Lake “escorted” by an Ambassador. At the Ultadanga-Hudco crossing, Bengani managed to cry out for help, drawing the attention of three sergeants from the Shyambazar Traffic Guard, who intercepted the kidnap vehicle and arrested two of the abductors.

“Bengani’s abduction was an extreme case, but there have been occasions when a bidder or member of a bidding party has been taken away forcibly by a rival group, held for a few hours and then released,” said another lawyer. “Hiring goons for such pressure tactics has become a common practice,” he added.

Tribunal officials also lament the lack of any permanent security arrangement at the courts. “There is no police posting at the tribunal court, where auctions for properties worth crores are held,” said Arup Chakraborty, recovery officer and head of the DRT-I office in Salt Lake.

Officials said matters were no different at two other DRTs, one near New Market and the other on Shakespeare Sarani.

“We have lodged a written complaint with Bidhannagar South police station about Friday’s incident and have also requested a permanent police outpost here,” Chakraborty said.

“It is not possible to post police everywhere. Can policemen be posted in front of every bank?” demanded J. Jayraman, additional superintendent of police, Salt Lake. “But if we are alerted about any major auction or opening of tender, we’ll definitely send officers to the spot,” he added.