The Bantwal Rural Police arrested three men said to be involved in pilferage of petroleum products pumped through Petronet MHB (PMHB) Ltd.’s pipeline from Mangaluru to Bengaluru.
The police gave the names of the arrested persons as Ivan Charles Pinto (43) of Arala village of Bantwal, Ajit of Pachhanady and Joel Pretam D’Souza of Kannur.
Loss of pressure
Officials of PMHB observed loss of pressure during pumping of petroleum products through pipeline on July 11 and following a survey, zeroed in on the farmland of Pinto in Arala village.
Upon digging of earth at the spot, officials found tampering with of the pipeline and arrangements made to siphon off petroleum products.
Complaint
In a complaint filed with the Bantwal Rural Police, a PMHB official, G. Rajan, put the worth of pilfered petroleum products at ₹40 lakh.
The police arrested Pinto for allowing pilferage of petroleum products from the pipeline passing through his land.
Ajit and Joel were accused of drilling a hole into the pipeline and installing a pipe for pilferage of petroleum products.
The police seized the pilfered diesel, vehicle used by the arrested persons and also the containers used to store pilfered diesel. The police are on the lookout for six more me associated with the arrested persons. The accused have been booked under the provisions of Petroleum and Minerals Pipeline Act and Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act.
The team involved in tracing the accused included Police Sub-Inspector Prasanna, Head Constables Janardhan, Gonibasappa and Suresh and Police Constables Manoj and Puneet.
