The Pimpri Chinchwad police crime branch apprehended a gang of five men who were involved in stealing fuel barrels from a tanker transporting aircraft fuel from Mumbai to Pune airport. The accused were caught red-handed near a hotel at Somatne Toll Plaza on Wednesday night.
The individuals arrested have been identified as follows: Mangesh Sakharam Dabhade (42 years old, residing in Talegaon Dabhade), Elahi Saifan Faras (45 years old, residing in Dhanori, Pune), Anil Satairam Jaswal (28 years old, hailing from Uttar Pradesh), Amol Balasaheb Garade (31 years old, residing in Pimpalkhute, Maval), and Parashuram alias Sonya Dhondiba Gaikwad (36 years old, residing in Charholi Khurd, Khed).
As per the police, Crime Branch Unit 4 received information about the black market of jet fuel stolen from tankers and sold near the Shantai Hotel area near the Somatne toll plaza. Accordingly, the police team reached the spot and conducted a raided, accordingly Mangesh Dabhade, the owner of Shantai Hotel, in connivance with the tanker drivers Elahi and Anil, was caught by the police while removing jet fuel from the tanker while Amol and Parashuram were assisting them.
A total of 1540 litres of ATF/jet fuel, empty plastic cans, iron tommies, iron bars for measuring fuel and other tools used for the theft worth Rs.1 lakh 65 thousand 200 have been seized from the accused. Tankers loaded with jet fuel arrive at Pune Airport from JNPT port in Navi Mumbai. While filling the tanker with fuel, foam forms on the surface of the fuel in the container. At the same time, the fuel in the tanker is measured. When the tanker arrives at the Pune airport the foam is reduced hence it shows a low level. The accused took advantage of this technical flaw to steal the fuel. The accused stole only 70 to 80 litres of fuel from a tanker filled with thousands of litres of fuel so no one could notice the theft. The accused used to sell this fuel in the black market at a high price.
Further investigations revealed that the accused Mangesh Dabhade was earlier booked under the Prohibition Act in the years 2008, 2016 and 2019, while in the year 2022, he was booked in five different cases of assault and causing grievous hurt.