Oil theft scam busted
Ahmedabad   11-Aug-2010

State director general of police's vigilance squad officials busted an oil theft scam and nabbed five persons from near IndianOil depot at Chandkheda on Tuesday morning. According to investigators, the theft was going on for quite some time.

According to investigators, a team led by inspectors Dipak Vyas and AH Kapadia got a tip-off about the theft going on and had kept a watch. Around 10 am, a tanker came near the depot and parked near a tanker ready to go. Soon after, two persons emerged and set up the pipe to change the petrol into another tanker. At that time, police raided the spot and nabbed drivers and cleaners of both the trucks with the main accused Ugrashyam Singh, 35, from the spot.

"They had an interesting modus operandi. First, they break the driver and cleaner with paying them Rs 25 per litre. Then they would set up the connection. It is not easy as the valve box is locked. One key is with the company and another with the petrol pump officials. However, they had made a way out with a hooked ironbar and plumbing pipe with which they used to open it at their will," said a vigilance squad official.

In one trip, they used to extract around 300 litres of petrol and diesel and fill it up in 20 litre containers that they used to sell for Rs 600 to 700 to vehicle drivers on the highway. Officials said that the scam was going on right outside IOC depot. Officials have started questioning Singh to know other people involved in the scam.