Jaipur, Aug 12 (IANS) The Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS), in coordination with the Rajasthan Police, has busted an interstate gang allegedly involved in stealing crude oil from the HPCL pipeline passing through Pachpadra tehsil of Balotra district. Eight people have been arrested in connection with the case.
According to the Gujarat ATS, the gang allegedly breached the crude oil pipeline by digging a deep pit on barren land near Kaludi village, installing a valve and illegally tapping the pipeline.
During interrogation, the accused reportedly confessed to stealing two tankers of crude oil, each with a capacity of 10 tonnes, within a week and selling the stolen oil.
The Gujarat ATS reportedly received information that individuals from Gujarat and Rajasthan were working together to steal crude oil from the HPCL pipeline and sell it along the Ahmedabad-Rajkot highway. After verifying the information, the ATS team detained Jayraj Singh on the road leading to Sokhda village near Kuwadva on the Ahmedabad-Rajkot highway.
During questioning, he allegedly revealed that the crude oil in his possession had been brought from Kaludi village in Balotra district.
The ATS subsequently coordinated with the Rajasthan Police and detained seven other alleged members of the gang at a roadside eatery near Tapra village in Balotra.
The accused were taken to Jasol police station for questioning. During interrogation, they allegedly admitted to illegally tapping the HPCL crude oil pipeline.
According to investigators, the gang dug a deep pit on barren land near Kaludi village and installed a valve on the pipeline to extract crude oil.
HPCL officials were informed following the arrests. A joint investigation by HPCL personnel and Rajasthan Police reportedly confirmed the presence of an illegally installed valve attached to the pipeline. A case has been registered at Jasol police station based on a complaint filed by Shravan Kumar Jat (24), a security supervisor at the refinery.
According to the FIR, the incident took place on August 9 and came to light on the night of August 10.
The arrested accused have been identified as Ghanshyam Soni (54) – Nagalpur village, Mehsana district, Gujarat; Ramesh Thakor (41) – Chalasan, Gujara; Mahesh Thakor (32) – Chalasan, Gujarat; Sureji Thakor (32) – Jotana, Gujarat; Jaysinh Chudasama (34) – Dhoraji, Rajkot district, Gujarat; Mukesh Kumar Meghwal (44) – originally from Jaswantpura, Jalore district, Rajasthan, currently residing in Ahmedabad; Ranjeet Chaurasia (48) – Kalol, Gandhinagar district, Gujarat; Dilip Yadav (35) – Aaspur and Etawah district, Uttar Pradesh.
Investigators said the stolen crude oil was allegedly sold to Govind Singh Chauhan, a resident of Beawar, Rajasthan. Further investigation is underway to determine the quantity of oil stolen, the financial transactions involved and the possible involvement of other people in the network.
According to ATS sources, members of the gang had allegedly been conducting reconnaissance of the pipeline for around six months before carrying out the theft.
The alleged prime accused, Ghanshyam Soni, reportedly stayed at the residence of Mukesh Meghwal, a native of Jaswantpura in Jalore district, while surveying the pipeline and surrounding area.
Investigators said that after the reconnaissance, Ranjeet, Ramesh, Sureji, Mahesh and Dilip Yadav stayed for around a month at a roadside eatery near Tapra village.
The police and ATS are now investigating the gang’s wider network, the disposal of the stolen crude oil and whether similar attempts were made at other points along the HPCL pipeline.
–IANS
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