IOC officer among two held for fuel theft racket

Chandrapur, Feb 26 (PTI) Police have claimed to havebusted a fuel theft racket by arresting two persons, includingan Assistant Manager of Indian Oil Corporation (IOC).

IOC Assistant Manager Arvind Shrirame and transporterSunil Chopde were arrested today and yesterday respectively inconnection with the racket, police sources said today.

Police had recently exposed a major fuel theft racketbeing run from IOC depot in Tadali near here. Investigationsrevealed that fuel tankers carrying diesel to differentdestinations were fitted with secret mechanism, which helpedin theft of fuel in every trip, they said.

Two such fuel tankers were seized and their driversarrested a few days ago, the sources said.

Shrirame, posted at IOC depot in Tadali, was arrestedfor allegedly approving the faulty tankers to transportdiesel, police officer Krantikumar Patil said.

It was Shrirame''s responsibility to check whether thetankers were fit to transport the fuel as per prescribed rulesand regulations, he said.