Bhubaneswar: Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL) on Wednesday sought a CBI enquiry into the ownership of two petrol pumps by gangster Syed Usman Ali alias Tito.

The crime branch's Special Task Force (STF) has found that Tito owns the petrol pumps in Kendrapara and Paradip.

The IOCL said both the filling stations were commissioned in violation of guidelines. "Allotment of retail outlet by the IOCL to a person having criminal background has come to the notice of ministry of petroleum and natural gas. In view of serious irregularities and seriousness of the issue involved, the ministry with the approval of the petroleum minister has advised the IOCL to refer the matter to the CBI," it says.

The STF on Wednesday arrested four associates of the gangster. The police said the four, identified as Sheikh Abdullah, Jahangir Khan, Golden Pappu and Imtiaz Khan, were involved in a string of crime, including tender fixing, extortion and firing.

The police said Abdullah was actively involved in tender fixing in Cuttack, while Pappu was involved in extortion from contractors.

"All of them are also involved in a number of cases of attempt to murder, bombing, criminal intimidation and use of arms. They were operating in the districts of Kendrapara, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur and Jajpur," said a police official.

The police said they were trying to nab the gangster's associates, who fled the state after Tito was held.