Man running inter-state oil theft racket held by Guj ATS

The alleged kingpin of amulti-crore inter-state oil pilferage racket was arrested onFriday by the Gujarat Anti Terrorism Squad when he landed atMumbai airport from Dubai, an official said.

Sandeep Gupta was wanted in several states for theftof oil worth Rs 300 crore by puncturing 14 pipelines, he said.

''He was held when he landed in Mumbai airport fromDubai. He has several members in his gang to whom he used togive instructions sitting in Delhi. He was involved inpuncturing oil pipelines of ONGC and other companies,'' saidGujarat Director General of Police Ashish Bhatia.

He has been arrested earlier in Rajasthan, Haryana andKolkata for oil theft, and also has cases against his name instates like Bihar, an ATS release said.

Gujarat police zeroed in on Gupta while probing apipeline puncture-oil theft case in Morbi last July, it said,adding that he has also confessed to stealing oil from apipeline in Vadal Patiya in Kheda.

After drilling a hole in the pipeline, Gupta and hismen would erect a factory-like shed some 300-400 metres awayand then extend a pipe till the shed and transfer oil intotrucks, the release said.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)