The arrested have been identified as Nagesh, Ramesh and Madan Kumar. While, Raju Shetty of Arehalli, the main accused in the case, is still at large, the police booked case against 14 including MRPL employee Prakash. The allegations of the involvement of some police officials in the petrol stealing racket also is being investigated.
The Mangalore - Bangalore petroleum pipeline of the MRPL passes through the forest near Hurudi in the taluk. Sources said that the modus operandi of the racket is that they create a hole to the pipeline of MRPL and drain the petrol connecting pipes to the reservoir kept near the house of an accused about three kilometres away from the site. Later, they transport the petrol in tankers and sell it in the black market. Villagers allege that another gang was operating from Goudahalli, but the police did not take action to nab them.
Background
Petrol stealing rackets were functioning in Heggaravalli, Hireshigara, Hurudi and other villages copiously and the MRPL had suffered huge loss due to this.
Earlier, villagers had informed the police about the petrol stealing rackets, but there were no response. When the MRPL officials filed a complaint at the Gonibeedu police station, Sub Inspector Sunil Kumar was allegedly hesitant to register the case. Finally, the MRPL officials filed a complaint to the Superintendent of Police. Based on the inquiry conducted by DySP Vedamoorthi, Sunil Kumar has been suspended from the service.
While Gonibeedu police have registered a case, the MRPL too is conducting a separate inquiry.