Petroleum Theft Case: Police nabs NOC regional manager

BHAIRAHAWA, MAY 09 - Rupandehi Police on Thursday arrested Nepal Oil Corporation ’s (NOC) Regional Manager Nagendra Kurmi for his alleged involvement in the recent petroleum theft case. Kurmi was arrested based on the information given by those arrested.

The detention of a senior NOC official suggests likely involvement of NOC staffers in the scam. Two NOC officials—Dipendra Basnet and Rabin Kumar Raut—are currently in the police custody after arrested tanker drivers named them in their statements.

Five days ago, the police had seized some fuel tankers and arrested their drivers and helpers for stealing petroleum products on the Sunauli-Valwari route. Superintendent of Police Bikram Singh Thapa said they arrested Kurmi after the two arrested NOC officials and the tanker drivers named Kurmi. “Negligence of a regional manager suggests possible involvement of other NOC staff in the scam,” he said, adding Kurmi turned a blind eye to broken seals of the tankers. He said additional information could be drawn after Kurmi’s interrogation.

So far, the police have arrested 25 individuals, including drivers, helpers, owners of petrol pumps and NOC staffers, in connection to the case. Sixteen tanker owners, against whom arrest warrants have been issued, are at large.

Among the accused, Chop Narayan Shrestha is associated with the Federation of Nepal Chamber of Commerce and Industry, while Hari Bahadur Kunwar, Rakesh Kumar Kashaudhan and Balkrishna Gaire are associated with Pashchimanchal Tankers Entrepreneurs Association. These individuals are said to have been using political contacts to avoid arrest.

NOC had launched a separate investigation into the case, sending its officials to the site. However, the probe has given a clean cheat to the NOC officials. “The report showed there was very little possibility of the involvement of NOC officials as the incident took place far away from their Valwari depot,” said NOC’s officiating managing director Sagar Satyal.

Demanding withdrawal of the arrest warrants, tanker operators on Wednesday held a meeting in the Capital. Khageswor Bohara, president of Nepal Petroleum Transporters’ Federation (NPTF), said they would provide every detail if the arrest warrants are scrapped. “Our only demand is not to carry out investigation by creating terror,” said Bohara.

Bohara said they have given a 10 day ultimatum to the government. “If our demand is not addressed by the deadline, we will launch a countrywide protest and will completely stop transporting petroleum products thereafter,” he said.

Tanker owners are disrupting petroleum supply in the Western region to pressure the administration to withdraw the arrest warrants. Tankers there have stopped transporting fuel from Baitalpur, India, creating a shortage in the market.

NOC, however, said it is maintaining the supplies in the region from its depots in Amlekhgunj and Nepaligunj. NOC Spokesperson Mukunda Prasad Ghimire said they were doing their bit to avoid any possible fuel crisis.

According to NOC, 250 tankers have been licensed to transport petroleum in the region. After the scam came to light, NOC has suspended its agreements with 19 tankers. Ghimire said they were in a “wait and see” mode before taking further actions. “If found guilty, we can at most scrap the agreements permanently,” he said.