India
Sandeep Gupta, the mastermind behind oil theft in Rajasthan, Haryana, Gujarat, and West Bengal, has more than 20 cases filed against him.
Updated : Jan 05, 2023, 05:12 PM IST | Edited by : Aayushi
An illegal oil smuggling case in Gujarat's Surat has come to light when Sandeep Gupta, a member of the oil mafia, was apprehended by police after he broke into oil company pipelines in several states, including Gujarat, and stole 400 crore rupees' worth of oil. Sandeep Gupta, the accused, was taken into custody by Surat's crime branch in Kolkata.
Following the arrest of Mafia Sandeep Gupta, who controls a nationwide network of oil theft operations, more information about other members of the mafia is anticipated. Sandeep Gupta, the mastermind behind oil theft in Rajasthan, Haryana, Gujarat, and West Bengal, has more than 20 cases filed against him.
In a number of other states, including Bihar, criminal cases of oil theft have been filed against Sandeep Gupta. Ajay Kumar Tomar, the chief of Surat's police department, stated that an arrest warrant has been issued against Sandeep Gupta.
The accused had fled the scene after receiving conditional bail in the cases in Gujarat and Rajasthan, so the Surat Crime Branch detained him. Sandeep Gupta began his illegal enterprise by purchasing furnace oil in South Gujarat. After that, he created a plan of action, according to which he would regularly rent a facility or a storage space close to the location of the pipeline that Indian Oil and ONGC previously used.
Following this, members of the Sandeep Gupta gang would pierce pipelines to steal oil and keep it filled in tankers. The oil was stolen and put into three to four tankers. According to the media reports, Sandeep Gupta has so far stolen oil worth Rs 300 to 400 crore, Aaj Tak reported.
Gujarat ATS had registered a Gujarat Control of Terrorism and Organised Crime Act case against Sandeep Gupta. The arrest of Sandeep Gupta has been hailed as a major accomplishment for Surat Police by the police commissioner.
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