VASCO, AUG 26
In a major breakthrough, Verna Police on Thursday arrested three persons and attached three vehicles in connection with the recent fuel pilferage racket at Alto-Dabolim.
It may be recalled that on Monday, Verna Police along with Zuari Indian Oil Tanking Ltd (ZIOTL) busted a major petroleum pilferage racket near a hotel at Alto-Dabolim in Vasco.
The kingpin of the entire racket, Uday Naik (47) along with two Mangloreans Prashant Shailesh Francis Viegas alias Santosh Kumar (31) and Armugam Muttiah (29) have been arrested by Verna Police.
Naik from Chicalim and Kumar were also allegedly involved in the infamous IOC pilferage racket in 2002, when a major fire broke out outside the IOC compound wall, after the tapping connection on the supply pipeline caught fire and the entire racket was busted.
The infamous case of IOC was discharged due to lack of evidence and the accused in the case were acquitted.
Even last year, Naik had figured in a similar case when the oil company official had detained two tankers plying suspiciously at Alto-Dabolim.
Speaking to media, Verna PI Jivba Dalvi informed that all the three accused have been detained at Palolem check post in Canacona while they were traveling in a Maruti Alto car (KA-21-M-4113), which has also been attached by the police.
“Naik and Santosh Kumar have been arrested earlier in similar cases. They were also arrested in the infamous IOC fuel pilferage racket and the case against them was discharged by the court due to lack of evidence,” said PI Dalvi.
He further informed that since the case is in the initial stage of investigation, there are chances that more people might be involved in the racket.
“Police have also attached a lorry, which was used to store fuel, besides an abandoned Fiat Palio car that was used to remain parked at the site of the tapped connection to hide it,” stated PI Dalvi.
“Police was able to crack the case, as accused Santosh Kumar had taken a flat on hire, which is located alongside the tapping connection at Alto-Dabolim,” he added.
It is learnt that Kumar had taken the flat on hire at an exorbitant amount merely for the purpose of running the racket. The accused had also taken four shops on the ground floor in the same building, but they were hardly used by the accused.
Police further informed that Mutthiah and Santosh Kumar have been remanded to seven days police custody, while Naik will be produced in the court for remand later.
ZIOTL Chief Executive Officer Bhattacharya, who was present at the police station, refused to comment on the racket and said police is the right authority to comment on it.
When asked to comment on allegations that company officials may be possibly involved in the racket, he said they would comment once the police investigation completes.
He also declined to comment on the estimated losses incurred by the company on account of the pilferage racket.
