New Delhi: In a major breakthrough, the Inter State Cell (ISC) of the Crime Branch, Delhi Police, has exposed and dismantled a large-scale syndicate involved in the theft and black-market sale of Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF). Acting on precise intelligence, officials raided a secret godown in the Mundka area, recovering a massive 72,000 litres of stolen ATF and preventing an estimated monthly loss of ₹1.62 crore to the national exchequer.
Eight individuals, including godown operators, truck drivers, and fuel purchasers, have been apprehended in connection with the illegal operation, which had been functioning undetected for nearly three years.
The Operation
The operation was carried out by a dedicated team led by Inspector Mahipal Singh under the supervision of ACP Ramesh Chander Lamba. The team moved swiftly following a tip-off received on June 22 by Head Constable Sunil.
A raid was conducted at a concealed godown located in Village Mundka. There, the team discovered three oil tankers, each containing 24,000 litres of ATF, in the process of being siphoned into barrels through industrial-grade pipes. Two pickup trucks intended for transporting the stolen fuel were also intercepted at the site.
The police also seized forged dip rods used to fabricate delivery records, duplicate master keys for tanker locks, several empty and filled barrels, and ₹1.05 lakh in cash. The stolen fuel and tankers were subsequently handed over to the concerned oil company after appropriate documentation.
Syndicate Operated
The stolen ATF originated from the HPCL Asoda Depot in Bahadurgarh and was meant for delivery to Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA), Delhi. The drivers, in connivance with a transporter and the godown owner, manipulated GPS trackers and rerouted the fuel tankers to a hidden warehouse in Mundka.
Using forged dip rods and counterfeit master keys, the gang managed to siphon off large volumes of ATF while maintaining the appearance of legitimate deliveries. The stolen fuel was repackaged and sold under the label of Mineral Turpentine Oil (MTO), commonly used in the ink and paint industry. This disguised sale allowed the fuel to infiltrate the open market, bypassing regulatory scrutiny.
Investigations have revealed that this illegal operation had been active daily for three years, with approximately 5,000 litres of ATF stolen each day—amounting to nearly 1.5 lakh litres per month.
Items Recovered
During the raid, police recovered the following items from the premises:
- 03 ATF tankers (each with 24,000 litres capacity)
- 06 dip rods, including forged ones used to fake legitimate measurements
- 02 siphoning pipes
- 03 full and 02 half-filled ATF drums
- 09 empty drums
- 03 duplicate master keys along with 03 tanker locks
- 02 pickup trucks used for transportation
- ₹1.05 lakh in cash
The illicit fuel, vehicles, and other items have been secured as case property. A formal FIR has been registered under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, and further investigations are underway to identify other potential links in the supply chain.
Profiles of the Accused
The eight individuals involved played various roles in the syndicate:
1. Gaya Prasad Yadav (43): Former tanker driver and godown owner. Identified as the mastermind, he bought stolen ATF at ₹30/litre and sold it at ₹50/litre.
2. Rajkumar Chaudhary (53): Regular purchaser of stolen ATF. He bought fuel at ₹40/litre and sold it in the market for up to ₹50/litre.
3. Ashpal Singh Bhullar (53): Truck owner with a fleet of eight tankers, including the three seized in the operation.
4. Ram Bharose Yadav (44): One of the truck drivers involved in diversions, receiving ₹1,500 per trip.
5. Anjay Roy (41): Another driver engaged in the smuggling ring, also paid ₹1,500 per trip.
6. Subodh Kumar Yadav (32): Driver, part of the core logistics team of the operation.
7. Parveen Kumar Yadav (25): Driver’s helper, paid ₹700 per trip for assisting in the siphoning and loading.
8. Parveen Kumar Yadav (19): Also a helper, receiving similar remuneration.
Ongoing Investigation
Senior officers confirmed that the case involves deep-rooted collusion among various players in the logistics and supply sector. Investigations are in progress to trace other beneficiaries, potential buyers, and the financial trail. Authorities are also coordinating with oil companies and regulatory bodies to plug similar vulnerabilities.
This successful operation underscores the commitment of the Delhi Police towards cracking down on sophisticated fuel theft networks and protecting critical national resources.
