Mangalore: Major Fuel Theft Traced by CCB Police
Pics: Ramesh Pandit
Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (VM)
Mangalore, Dec 2: The CCB police busted a racket of fuel (diesel and petrol) theft and seized five fuel tankers on Saturday December 1.
A press meet was held in this regard at commissioner’s office on Sunday December 2.
Addressing the media, commissioner Manish Karbikar said that the diesel tanker under Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) contract had a separate in-built custom made compartment, where 100 to 200 liters of fuel could be stored. According to him, when the IOCL load fuel to the tanker, it is filled correctly. But when the fuel is unloaded at the petrol pump, certain amount of fuel remains in the tanker as it has a separate compartment. Hence it is a huge loss to the petrol pump owner, he added.
The tankers are operated under the banner of Ullalthi transport owned by U B Ashok (33) of Bantwal, who is arrested.
The arrested tanker drivers have been identified as Sukumar (28) of Madikeri, Chidanand (21) of Puttur; Kushalappa (25) of Puttur, Uday Kumar (35) of Shimoga, CK Smikil (29) of Belthangady.
Ashok owns seven tankers, out of which five are taken into police custody; one of them is in garage and another yet to be seized.
When CCB police seized the tankers, owner Ashok is said to have offered them Rs 3 lac, which is also seized by the police.
The police altogether seized five tankers (KA 19 AB 2003, KA 21 3532, KA 19 B 4841, KA 19 B 4847, KA 20 AB 6664), seven mobile phones, equipment's used to steal fuel, one EECO car, Rs 3,03,930 cash, altogether the value of which is estimated to be Rs 69,29,285.
Speaking to Daijiworld, Dr H N Venkatesh Prasanna, CCB inspector said that the owner was into this business for the past four years. Adding he said, Ashok started his tanker business with one tanker and within a year he purchased six more tankers.
A minimum of 700 litres of fuel were stolen by them in a day, said Venkatesh.
Under the guidance of police commissioner Manish Karbikar, Muthuraya, DCP (law and order) and D Dharmaiah, DCP (crime), the investigation team was led by CCB inspector Dr HN Venkatesh Prasanna. The team includes PSI Vishwanath, Shyamsunder HM, police personnel - Shashidar Shetty, Ganesh MP, Ganesh Kalladka, Chandrashekar, Sunil Kumar, Dinesh Bekal, Tej Kumar
Muthuraya, DCP (law and order), D Dharmaiah, DCP (crime) were present.
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Speaking about the murder of criminal Bejai Raja alias Shailesh, commissioner Karbikar said that investigation is on which is collectively done by the city police.