Gang pilfering PDS oil busted by SOT sleuths

HYDERABAD: A gang allegedly involved in pilferage of Public Distribution Scheme (PDS) kerosene oil was busted by the Special Operations Team (SOT) sleuths of Rachakonda on Thursday.
Acting on an alert, the SOT sleuths intercepted an oil tanker at Sachivalaya Nagar in Vanasthalipuram and arrested tanker driver K Venkat Reddy, 59, and cleaner M Thirupathi Reddy , 61, while they were transferring 2,000 litres of the kerosene oil into drums to sell it in the black market for higher price.
Police found the in-charge of Vanasthalipuram PDS shop no 187, S Kiran Kumar, supervising the transfer of the kerosene and arrested him too. During the interrogation, the accused confessed that they were supposed to deliver the kerosene oil to PDS shops in Ibrahimpatnam but they decided to pilferage 2,000 litres of the stock in the tanker to sell for a higher price, Vanasthalipuram inspector S Murali Krishna said.
Police booked a case against Tirupathi, Venkat, Kiran, tanker owner, Sunita, and others under sections 408, 420 of the IPC and section 7 of Essential Commodities Act. The tanker was also seized and Civil Supplies department officials were alerted about the incident.