Tunnels, Plastic Pipes, Valves: How Indian Oil Was Being Robbed In Delhi

A man was arrested by the Delhi Police within 48 hours of the Indian Oil Corporation reporting an incident of theft from the Delhi-Panipat section of its pipeline on October 4.

The oil and gas giant, in its complaint, said that it inspected its pipeline on September 29 and found oil was likely being stolen from a spot in Delhi's Dwarka area.

The police, acting on their complaint, visited the area and found that the IOCL's pipeline had been drilled and a plastic pipe was inserted into the line using the valve mechanism.

The police team excavated the area and found that a machine was installed by the accused to extract oil by drilling holes into the pipeline and using plastic pipes to connect to the main oil line.

The pipes were put about 40 meters from the IOCL pipeline through a tunnel suspected to have been dug by the accused. The pipes come overground on a plot owned by one 52-year-old Rakesh, alias Golu. The police have arrested him.

He is being interrogated about the accused involved in the theft and efforts are on to arrest the others involved.

A case has been filed under relevant sections of the Petroleum and Minerals Pipelines (Acquisition of Right of User in Land) Act, the Explosive Substance Act, the Indin Penal Code, and the Essential Commodities Act.

The police have recovered a 40 metres long pipe, a 62 metres long pipe, a pipe that is 35 metres long, a mini blower, a large blower, a spanner and wrenches, boxes of epoxy hardener, a hand-saw, a sealing gun, and a wooden ladder among other things from the site.