Pune: A major fuel theft racket operating on the Pune-Solapur highway has been busted by Pune Police, leading to the arrest of key members of a gang involved in stealing petrol and diesel from tankers.
The leader of the gang, Pravin Sidram Madikhambe, and twelve others have been charged under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA), as ordered by Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar.
This decisive action follows recent police operations in the Mundhwa and Loni Kalbhor areas, where officers seized stolen fuel worth ₹48 lakh along with a fuel tanker.
The Loni Kalbhor area, a crucial transit point for petrol and diesel tankers distributing fuel from nearby depots, had become a target for Madikhambe and his associates.
Operating with the help of tanker drivers, the gang had been siphoning off fuel during transit, earning crores from these illegal activities. According to police reports, Madikhambe had used the proceeds to build property and purchase vehicles in the Loni Kalbhor area.
The breakthrough came when a police patrol team, acting on a tip-off, raided a tin shed near Theur Phata, where they discovered a tanker parked suspiciously. Assistant Police Inspectors Raju Mahanor, Dhamdhere, and Shivaji Jadhav led the raid, recovering 1,620 liters of stolen diesel. This seizure triggered a larger investigation into the gang's operations.
Following the raid, Senior Police Inspector Rajendra Karankot from Loni Kalbhor police station presented a case to Deputy Commissioner of Police R. Raja, recommending that Madikhambe and his gang be charged under MCOCA.
The proposal was promptly approved by Additional Commissioner Manoj Patil, giving the police expanded powers to tackle the organized crime syndicate.
While many members of the gang have been arrested, including Shubham Bhagat, Trishant Sumbhe, Ravi Kewat, Vishal Gosavi, Krishna Ambekar, Rohitkumar Chedulal, and others, Madikhambe remains at large.
Police have intensified efforts to locate him and bring him to justice. Investigators believe that Madikhambe was the mastermind behind the fuel theft operation and had accumulated significant wealth through these illegal activities.