13 held for stealing diesel from MRPL pipeline

Police have seized 1 tanker, 2 cars, 17 mobile phones and machineries

The police have seized one tanker, two cars, 17 mobile phones, drilling machines, welding machines, PVC pipes and other equipment used for the crime, from the accused.

The arrested are Roshan Coelho (39) of Tannirbavi; Marcona Coelho (43) of Someshwar; Dominic (27) of Kuloor; Rocky Ferrao (40) of Pavoor; Balakrishna S (30) of Kallapu, Thokkuttu; Dolphy D’Souza (40) of Thokkuttu; Diana Crasta (30) of Bolar; Abdul Sattar (38) of K C Road, Talapady; Ashok (37) of Bangrakuloor; Brijesh (32) of Padil; Hyder (41) of Valacchil; Sudhir Kumar (34) of Urwa; and Norbert D’Sa (47) of Kodikal.

Informing the same to media persons, Superintendent of Police Dr A S Rao said that the police team nabbed the accused at Valacchil acting on a tip off. The team was involved in stealing diesel from the pipeline at Arehalli and Alur (in Hassan district), Gowdarahalli in Moodigere (in Chikmagalur district) and Vamadapadav in Bantwal (in DK district), by drilling holes to the diesel pipeline.

In fact, cases have been booked against the accused at Alur and Gonibeedu (Chikmagalur) police stations, but the accused were absconding. The SP also informed that cases were booked against the prime accused Roshan Coelho in 1994, 1997 and 1998 in Panambur police station, for stealing naphtha by drilling the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) - MCF pipeline at Tannirbavi.

But he too was absconding. The tanker was said to be stolen recently from Moodigere after the group’s futile bid to drill diesel pipeline at Gowdarahalli. Hyder used to sell diesel (stolen from Moodigere) to petrol bunks in Shimoga through Sudhir Kumar. The team that cracked the case and nabbed the accused was led by Sub Inspector Prakash.