Driver held for stealing fuel from tanker in Navi Mumbai

Police have arrested a 34-year-old tanker driver for allegedly pilfering petrol from the vehicle in Navi Mumbai township of Maharashtra, an official said on Monday.

Acting on a tip-off, police raided a parking area in Vashi on Sunday morning and spotted the accused stealing petrol from the fuel tanker and filling it in cans and other containers, a police spokesperson said. The petrol tanker was to head to Vasai in neighbouring Palghar district and the accused was committing the theft to sell the fuel in the market, the official said.

The police seized the tanker, cans filled with the fuel which were loaded in two tempos and a motorbike, collectively valued at Rs 10.60 lakh, he said.

The driver, hailing from Uttar Pradesh, was arrested while search was on for two other persons involved in the offence.

A case was registered against the accused under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code, the Essential Commodities Act and the Motor Spirit & High-Speed Diesel (Regulation of Supply & Distribution and Prevention of Malpractices) Order, the police added.