The Puzhal police on Friday busted a gang which was involved in stealing oil from tankers hired by oil marketing companies.
A special team of police personnel led by a sub-inspector conducted a search of premises owned by a tanker lorry owner near the Special Prison for Women, Puzhal, and found suspiciously parked tankers filled with oil.
The police said the main suspect Periyasamy, 41, who owns over 40 oil tankers, had contracts with three oil marketing companies. Whenever tankers transported oil from depots in Ennore and Manali, the accused would offload a sizeable quantity of oil before the vehicles reached their intended destinations.
The police arrested Periyasamy and seven others who worked as drivers and cleaners. They were booked under provisions of the Essential Commodities Act and IPC. As many as 14 oil tankers and three four-wheelers and ₹2 lakh in cash was recovered from them.
