Man arrested for oil theft from main line

Accused was found selling fuel extracted by clamping

KHURARIANWALA:

A man was caught and sent behind bars for allegedly stealing and selling oil from a main supply line.

During interrogation, the arrested accused revealed that he had stolen and sold oil in collusion with police officers stationed in the district and their subordinate SHOs, who he allegedly paid.

A senior police official had ordered the arrest of all employees involved in the case. According to sources, the arrest of the police officials involved in the case is expected in the coming days.

The accused, who is in jail, was also interrogated by the Faisalabad city police officer (CPO).

The sources added that Faisalabad RPO Rifat Mukhtar Raja, who was posted a year ago, took notice of the theft of oil carried out by placing a clamp in the main line of PARCO.

The case was also being investigated through examination of similar cases of oil theft registered during the last five years.

The investigation revealed that police personnel and officers were involved in the oil theft incidents and they had also influenced the investigation of the cases. He appointed the officers of DSP level as the investigating officers of the cases.

Meanwhile, teams were also formed to arrest the remaining accused. When the mobile phone data of the accused involved in the incident was collected, it was revealed that Nadeem alias Dima Gujjar, a resident of Saboana, was in contact with a DSP stationed in Faisalabad.

On this the CPO summoned the DSP to his office and gave him the task of arresting Nadeem.

The accused, Nadeem, was called to his house by the DSP, from where he was arrested and sent to jail.

During the interrogation, Nadeem alleged that four SHOs and DSPs had supported him in the crime. The main accused claimed to have paid the officials.

Nadeem was interrogated by Faisalabad CPO Sohail Chaudhry and he confessed to the crime and his partners’ involvement in the theft after which the RPO had decided to arrest the officials and employees involved and charge them in these cases.

A senior police officer said that the matter was being investigated and more arrests were expected.

“The names of police personnel and officers have been mentioned by the accused and they will also be investigated.”

If the allegations made by the accused are proved correct, strict departmental action would be taken against them, the police officer added.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 22^nd, 2020.