Indore (Madhya Pradesh): On Thursday, STF arrested eight people including the main accused who were running a gang that siphoned gas from tankers and sold it to petrol pumps, and welding companies in Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. They used to purchase gas worth Rs 75 per kg from tanker drivers at Rs 22 per kg and then sold it for Rs 44 per kg.
Police said main accused Mahesh Solanki and seven others were arrested. Of these, four are members of the gang and four are truck drivers.
The accused told the STF that they used to steal 54,000 kg of gas in a day from six points in MP, which amounts to Rs 40.50 lakhs of gas theft every day, or around Rs 12 cr per month. According to STF TI Mamta Kamle, the accused have been produced in the court and taken on remand.
Gang kingpin Mahesh has more than 10 hostels in Indore. He has been associated with a gas theft racket for 20 years. He has also confessed to selling gas to some pumps in the city.
The gang started stealing gas from LPG tanks in Dhar. In 15 to 20 minutes, 5 to 6 tons of gas used to be filled in another tanker with a 5 HP motor. Investigation is going on now, said STF senior officials.
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