Navi Mumbai Water Theft Case: ₹39.89 Lakh Worth Of Water Stolen From Morbe Dam Pipeline; 3 Booked

Navi Mumbai, June 20: In a major water theft case amid the ongoing water scarcity, authorities have uncovered the illegal siphoning of 332,465 cubic metres of water worth Rs 39,89,580 from the main pipeline carrying water from Morbe Dam to Navi Mumbai.

Khandeshwar Police have registered an FIR against three persons, including two identified accused, and launched an investigation into the incident.

The theft was detected during inspections carried out by the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation's (NMMC) Water Supply Department as part of its drive to prevent water wastage and unauthorised usage.

Officials found that the washout valve of the main water pipeline located along the Mumbai-Pune Expressway near Vichumbe and Devadgaon had been damaged and illegally tapped to draw water.

Illegal tapping detected during inspection

Subsequent verification revealed that a massive quantity of water had been stolen through the unauthorised connection, resulting in losses worth nearly Rs 40 lakh to the civic body.

Officials said the theft also affected the city's water distribution network at a time when Navi Mumbai is facing water supply constraints.

Based on a complaint lodged by Water Supply Department officer Santosh Unavane, police registered a case against Sai Bhingade of Nia Fabricators, Altaf Shaikh, an unidentified accomplice and a concrete mixer vehicle bearing registration number MH43CQ5225.

The accused have been booked under Sections 303(2), 326(A), 125, 324 and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, along with Section 3(2)(C) of the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, 1984.

Probe underway

"We have registered a case and initiated an investigation. Efforts are underway to identify the role of all those involved in the illegal tapping of the water pipeline. Appropriate legal action will be taken against the accused," a police officer from Khandeshwar Police Station said.

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Civic officials said special teams have been deployed to monitor critical water infrastructure and detect unauthorised connections. They warned that tampering with water supply pipelines not only causes substantial financial losses but also poses serious risks to public safety and disrupts essential services for residents.

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