Ahilyanagar police nab 3 involved in stealing Aviation Turbine Fuel worth over Rs45 lakh

Nashik: The Ahilyanagar police on Sunday arrested three people and seized Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) worth over Rs45 lakh from them, after they allegedly stole the fuel to sell it in the black market.The accused trio have been identified as Mukesh Singh (26), Rambhavan Rajput (32), both from Uttar Pradesh, and Chandu Jambhalkar (41) of Gavhanewadi, Srigonda taluka of Ahilyanagar.Inspector Kiran Kabadi of the Local Crime Branch (LCB) said that, under the guidance of superintendent of police Somnath Gharge, a team was patrolling in Belvandi when they received a tip-off regarding illegal ATF storage behind a restaurant in Gavhanewadi.Acting swiftly, the team raided the location and caught the accused while they were emptying ATF from a tanker into large drums. During interrogation, they admitted to breaking the tanker's seal to steal the fuel for further sale.Kabadi said other members involved in the racket are currently being traced.Police seized articles worth over Rs88.5 lakh, including the tanker containing 28,000 litres of ATF worth Rs45 lakh, a tanker worth Rs 40 lakh, and 12,000 litres of ATF stored in six drums worth Rs 1.9 lakh, among other items."A case was registered against the accused under sections 287 (negligent conduct with respect to fire or combustible matter), 318(4) (cheating), and 303(2) (theft) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with relevant sections of the Essential Commodities Act and The Explosives Act, 1884 by the Belwandi police station," Kabadi said.