Oil heist in Rajasthan, syndicate 'exposed': How eight accused stole 20 tonnes of crude from pipeline
During the investigation, an accused exposed the syndicate, leading to the arrest of seven others from Tapra village in Balotra district of Rajasthan. Here's what we know so far.
Eight individuals in Rajasthan's Balotra district were apprehended by Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) for allegedly stealing 20 tonnes of crude oil from a pipeline. The accused included Ghanshyam Soni, Jayrajsinh Chudasama, Mukesh Meghwal, Ranjit Chorasiya, Ramesh Thakore, Sureji Thakore and Mahesh Thakore, all from Rajasthan, and Dilip Yadav from Uttar Pradesh.
The syndicate was uncovered, leading to the arrest of seven others from Tapra village in Balotra. The accused allegedly punctured and installed a valve in an HPCL pipeline in a concealed pit, using their connections and knowledge of the local 20-km refinery network. They reportedly sold the stolen oil in Beawar, Rajasthan, when authorities intercepted them on the Ahmedabad-Rajkot highway.
A case was registered under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Petroleum and Minerals Pipelines Act, and the Prevention of Damage to Public Works Act. The ATS is investigating potential additional suspects.
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