Jaipur: The Special Operations Group (SOG) Thursday arrested a Ghaziabad-based trader in a high-tech crude oil theft racket, cracking a Rs 6.7 crore operation that involved siphoning fuel through a 360-foot underground tunnel from a petroleum pipeline.Additional DG, SOG, Vishal Bansal identified the accused as Rajeev Singal, a Ghaziabad-based trader, who was nabbed in Jaipur while heading towards Ajmer. Bansal said Singal played a crucial role in the illegal trade, allegedly purchasing stolen crude at heavily discounted rates and routing it into the market. The case surfaced in Jan 2025 after an assistant manager with Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL) reported large-scale theft from a pipeline in the Shahjahanpur area. What investigators uncovered was an operation marked by planning, engineering and surveillance.The accused rented a farm on Belni Road and secured it with a 10-foot boundary wall. Inside, they built rooms and an underground chamber, from where a tunnel nearly 360 feet long was dug to reach and puncture the IOCL pipeline. The site was fitted with CCTV cameras and internet connectivity, enabling real-time monitoring and helping the gang evade detection. Officials said the theft continued from Nov 10, 2024, to Jan 5, 2025, during which 36 tankers — approximately 9,58,000 litres of crude oil — were siphoned off. Investigators estimate the total value of the stolen oil at around Rs 6.70 crore. The crude was allegedly bought at Rs 30-35 per litre, far below the market rate of about Rs 70, indicating a structured black-market supply chain.Seven accused, including the alleged mastermind, were arrested earlier in the case. Singal was in the oil trade for around 15 years.
