A sessions court last week rejected the bail applications of seven persons - among them a manager of a petrol pump, in a case of stealing diesel from a Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) pipeline.
The complaint was filed in June end by the chief manager of the public sector company. In his complaint, he said that he was informed by the chief manager in charge of security that a policeman from the local RCF police station had informed him about their pipeline being drilled in an adjacent plot used to park tankers. A small flexible plastic pipe attached to the main pipeline, which was at seven feet depth, was drawing diesel from it.
The RCF police had booked them under the Petroleum and Mineral Pipeline Act and Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act.
Most of the accused came to be arrested in early and mid-July. Among those who had sought bail was a manager of a petrol pump who had bought the stolen diesel. The applicants had contended that they had been falsely implicated, the case of the prosecution was suspicious and that there were no eye-witnesses to the crime.
Opposing the bail pleas additional public prosecutor Ramesh Siroya had argued that it was a systematic crime in which the accused persons had stolen a huge quantity of diesel and sold it at different places. Further, that some of the accused are absconding and some are habitual offenders.
Rejecting the bail pleas, the court said that the accused have stolen a huge quantity of diesel and that the way of committing the crime shows that they knew details and had committed the crime with preparation and meeting of minds. The court also noted the seriousness of the offence while denying the pleas.
