Ahmedabad, Aug 11 (PTI) The Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad has arrested eight individuals for allegedly stealing crude oil by puncturing an HPCL pipeline passing through Balotra district of Rajasthan, the agency said on Tuesday.
The action followed an intel on some persons attempting to sell crude oil on the Ahmedabad-Rajkot highway, leading to the arrest of a man from a spot near Sokhda village in Rajkot district.
A case was registered under section 35(1) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS). The grilling of the man exposed the syndicate, leading to the arrest of seven others from Tapra village in Balotra district of Rajasthan, according to an ATS release.
Their interrogation showed that the accused had illegally punctured and installed
a valve in the HPCL crude oil pipeline in a 3-4 feet deep pit in the wasteland on the border of Kaludi village in Balotra district of Rajasthan.
A case was registered at Jasol police station in Rajasthan against the eight individuals under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for theft, criminal conspiracy and negligent conduct with respect to fire, and under the provisions of the Petroleum and Minerals Pipelines (Acquisition of Right of User in Land) Act, 1962, and the Prevention of Damage to Public Works Act.
The ATS is currently investigating whether other persons were also involved in the crime.
The accused persons are identified as Ghanshyam Soni (54) and Jayrajsinh Chudasama (34), both residents of Rajkot; Mukesh Meghwal (44) from Jalore in Rajasthan; Ranjit Chorasiya (48) from Gandhinagar; Ramesh Thakore (41), Sureji Thakore (32) and Mahesh Thakore (32) from Mehsana; and Dilip Yadav (35), from Etawah in Uttar Pradesh. PTI KA NSK
