Gunwanti Paraste (Pune): In a bizarre incident, Pune police arrested six people including two of their own colleagues for stealing petroleum products from a pipeline of a  private firm. The investigations have revealed that total 5,000 litres of petrol costing Rs three lakh were pilfered by the gang which operated under the protection of three policemen.

The story goes like this:  accused Ismail Shaikh, 60 years old, Motiram Shankar Pawar, 30 years old and Dinesh Pawar, 21 years old, developed a valve on a pipeline of petrol from Pune to Solapur near Talera farm.

They had stolen petroleum products including petrol, diesel and kerosene of 5000 liters worth Rs three lakh r from 3.59 pm on 11 May till 6 pm on 12 May.

And entire operation happened under the protection of  Ravindra Baburao Bhide, police sub inspector, Chandannagar, Pune, Avinash shivsharan, police constable and Suhas Thombare, police sub inspector, Pune Rural.

Pankaj Dahane, deputy commissioner of police, Pune, said, “Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited officials have lodged a complaint against the accused in Vimannagar police station.”

“The company has digital system that tracked that petrol was being leaked and they found out the illegal valve. Accordingly we started to investigate and found out that two police officials were also involved in the act.”

He added, “It is possible that large amount of petrol have been stolen through illegal valve and many other police officials’ involvement. But as of now as per complaint, 5000 liters of petrol is stolen. But we are finding out whether big racket of stealing petroleum products is being operated.”

All five are booked under Indian penal Code 379 for committing theft, 286 for negligence toward explosive substance, 247 fordishonestly diminishing weight or altering composition of Indian coin and relevant sections of Petroleum and Mineral Pipeline Act,1962.

Team TNV