Five arrested in Islamabad for illegal fuel arbitrage

The accused were buying fuel stolen from government busses and trucks from AECP in Kahuta at a very low price.

ISLAMABAD:
Police on Tuesday arrested five people for their alleged involvement in purchasing fuel stolen from government vehicles at cheaper rates and then reselling it in the open market.

SHO of the Koral Police Station Inspector Hussain Lassi said the accused were buying fuel stolen from government busses and trucks from Atomic Energy Commission of Pakistan (AECP) in Kahuta at a very low price. “The drivers of government vehicles would siphon out petrol and diesel from the tanks of government vehicles and sell it at their collection points in Kahuta,” said Lassi.

On a tip-off, Koral police raided three different places in PWD Colony, Loi Bher and Sohdaran Tarlai areas and recovered drums containing hundreds of litres of petrol and diesel fuel. “Two of the arrested men were from Kahuta, who supplied fuel to their partners in Islamabad,” Lassi said.

During investigation, the suspects said that the purchased fuel was then transported to various cities around the country. Islamabad being the nearest one, received the bulk of this fuel. Three selling points had been illegally set up in the outskirts of the capital from where it was being sold to commuters from Rawalpindi and Islamabad.


The arrested suspects Muhammad Zamman, Fakir Mehmood, Tanvir Ahmed, Nasrullah and Taimoor Abbas will appear before the court on Wednesday.

Police suspects that the suspects were ordinary workers. However, during the physical remand, the arrested men are expected to give information about the whereabouts of the people heading the illegal operation.

Koral police has also sent a report to the authorities concerned, asking them to take action against people involved in the illegal activity.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 1st, 2010.
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