High Court rejects anticipatory bail of petrol theft accused

Mumbai: Bombay High Court said that theft of petroleum based fuel has a negative impact on the country’s economy. Refusal to grant anticipatory bail to the accused of theft of 13 thousand liters of petrol worth Rs 13.90 lakh

The court said businessman Mohammad Ahmed Shafiq Khan was the main accused in the crime. Such evasion increases fuel prices and reduces tax revenues and is an illegal trade. The court said that the custody of the accused is necessary to expose the network of illegal business.

Khan used to hire tankers and transfer petrol to his tankers through pumps from the pipeline of Indian Oil Tanking Limited at Nhava Sheva port.

The stolen fuel was being sold at illegal concessional rates to the tanker owner and others. The applicant was not present at the spot but was monitoring the theft from Doop. The judge said that the literature on record shows that the petitioner has actively participated and benefited from the crime.