Assam: Four Digboi refinery employees nabbed for metal theft

Digboi: Four contractual employees of Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL)’s Digboi refinery in Assam's Tinsukia district were apprehended by local police after nearly a quintal (100 kilograms) of stolen high-conductivity metals, including copper and aluminum, were discovered in their possession.

The arrested individuals, identified as Debasish Dutta, Ratan Sur, Bhaskar Chetry, and Gaya Prasad Jaiswal, were employed by various firms working in different refinery departments.

Security sources revealed that the pilferage was uncovered during a routine security check conducted by CISF personnel. The stolen materials, belonging to the refinery's electrical department, were found hidden in a garbage truck used for regular waste disposal.

Refinery officials suspect the accused may have been planning and coordinating this theft for an extended period.

"The systematic cutting, stealing, and concealing of high-conductivity metals within the refinery suggests a well-planned operation by these workers," shared an official on condition of anonymity.

"However, their attempt to bypass security was unsuccessful," he said.

A CISF officer disclosed that the stolen materials were being transported in a garbage truck during its regular waste disposal run. While the accused were arrested and charged under relevant legal sections, the AOD authorities are yet to hold the respective contractors and firm owners accountable.

Concerns have been raised regarding the lack of proactive measures taken by Digboi police to investigate potential connections between the accused and possible buyers, such as scrap vendors or their godowns.

In a previous incident, a similar case under the PDPP Act was registered against a scrap vendor following a raid.

The unregulated proliferation of scrap shops and godowns along National Highway 38, operating unchecked despite rising theft incidents from tea factories, refineries, AOD premises, Oil India facilities, and even schools and religious institutions, has become a cause for major concern.

Based on the FIR filed by Digboi CISF, all four accused have been booked under sections 379 and 409 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) in case number 17/2024.