LUCKNOW, Nov. 25 -- The Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force's (STF) crackdown on the truck overloading racket has triggered a wave of sudden leave applications across the transport and mining departments. The development raises suspicions that several officials are attempting to evade the ongoing investigation, informed senior STF officials, adding that the STF has now placed all such officials who disappeared from duty recently, under the scanner.

According to officials, the exodus began soon after the agency lodged FIRs across Lucknow, Fatehpur, Unnao and Rae Bareli on November 12, exposing a deep-rooted nexus between department officials and middlemen who allegedly cleared overloaded mineral-laden trucks in exchange for hefty cash paymen...