Gujarat Police seize 10,290 litres of fuel, 65 tonnes of chemicals in Anand; 7 arrested
Synopsis
Gujarat Police's State Monitoring Cell cracked down on two alleged theft networks in Anand district in a single day, recovering over 10,000 litres of fuel and 65 tonnes of chemicals worth ₹1.72 crore combined. The cross-state profile of the seven accused — spanning Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh — signals an organised operation, not a local opportunistic crime.
Key Takeaways
Gujarat Police's State Monitoring Cell carried out two raids in Anand district on 14 October 2026 , seizing property worth a combined ₹1.72 crore .
The first raid at Boriyavi yielded 10,290 litres of diesel and petrol worth ₹20.08 lakh and two vehicles worth ₹23 lakh ; total seizure valued at ₹43.25 lakh .
The second raid in Petlad taluka recovered 65,312 kg of chemicals worth ₹71.84 lakh and three vehicles worth ₹57 lakh ; total seizure valued at ₹1.29 crore .
Seven people were arrested; accused are residents of Ahmedabad , Barmer (Rajasthan) , Sultanpur and Pratapgarh (Uttar Pradesh) , and Anand .
Two accused — Vivek Vanvasi and a person identified as Vijay — remain wanted; a notice was issued to a 15-year-old from Uttar Pradesh.
Cases registered under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 and the Essential Commodities Act ; investigation is ongoing.
Gujarat Police's State Monitoring Cell (SMC) seized fuel, chemicals, and vehicles worth a combined ₹1.72 crore in two separate raids across Anand district on 14 October 2026, arresting seven people in connection with the alleged theft of petroleum products and chemicals, officials confirmed on Thursday. The operations were carried out at two distinct locations within the district, targeting what authorities describe as an organised network involved in illegal handling of essential commodities.
First Raid: Fuel and Vehicles Seized at Boriyavi
The first operation was conducted at the premises of Rajpurohit Hotel on National Highway 48 along the Anand-Nadiad highway in Boriyavi. A team led by State Monitoring Cell Police Inspector M.K. Malviya recovered 10,290 litres of diesel and petrol valued at ₹20.08 lakh, two vehicles worth ₹23 lakh, and four mobile phones worth ₹15,500. The total value of seized property in this raid stood at ₹43.25 lakh.
Four individuals were arrested in connection with this case: Narvarbhai alias Natubhai Lakum, a resident of Dholka in Ahmedabad district; Swaroop Singh Rajpurohit and Dhan Singh Rajpurohit, both from Barmer district in Rajasthan; and Laxmanbhai Bharwad, a resident of Boriyavi in Anand district. A case was registered at Anand Rural Police Station under Sections 287, 316(4), 317(4), 61(2) and 112(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, as well as Sections 3, 7 and 8 of the Essential Commodities Act.
Second Raid: 65 Tonnes of Chemicals Recovered in Petlad
In a separate operation at Danteli village along the Vasad-Tarapur highway in Petlad taluka, Police Inspector A.J. Chauhan led a team that seized chemicals weighing 65,312 kg, valued at ₹71.84 lakh. The haul also included six plastic barrels worth ₹700, three vehicles valued at ₹57 lakh, and four mobile phones worth ₹20,000, bringing the total value of seized property in this raid to ₹1.29 crore.
Three individuals were arrested: Dharmendra Singh alias Munna Rajput and Rajan Singh Rajput, both residing in Kalali, Vadodara and originally from Sultanpur district in Uttar Pradesh; and Ramvikas Yadav, a resident of Pratapgarh district in Uttar Pradesh. A notice was issued to a 15-year-old from Uttar Pradesh, also residing in Vadodara. Two other accused — Vivek Vanvasi from Pratapgarh district and a person identified only as Vijay — have been named as wanted by police.
Cases were registered at Petlad Rural Police Station under Sections 303(2), 316(3), 317(1), 317(2), 61(2)(a) and 54 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.
Pattern and Background
The cross-state profile of the accused — with links to Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and multiple Gujarat districts — points to a network that reportedly moves beyond local opportunism. Theft of petroleum products and bulk chemicals has been a recurring law enforcement concern in Gujarat's industrial belt, given the high density of refineries, chemical plants, and highway cargo movement. The involvement of the State Monitoring Cell, which handles organised crime and economic offences, underscores the scale authorities attribute to these operations.
Investigation Status
According to officials, further investigation is ongoing in both cases. The recovery of multiple vehicles alongside the contraband suggests the accused may have had active logistics infrastructure in place. Police have not yet ruled out the possibility of additional arrests as the probe widens to identify other members of the alleged network.
Point of View
But the recovery of multiple transport vehicles in each raid suggests these were not ad hoc operations. The State Monitoring Cell's involvement also raises the question of how long these networks had been active before detection, and whether the seizures represent the full scale of the operation or merely its visible tip. The use of new Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita provisions alongside the Essential Commodities Act will be worth watching for legal precedent.
NationPress
15 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Gujarat Police seize in the Anand district raids?
Gujarat Police's State Monitoring Cell seized a total of 10,290 litres of diesel and petrol, 65,312 kg of chemicals, five vehicles, and multiple mobile phones across two raids in Anand district on 14 October 2026. The combined value of all seized property was approximately ₹1.72 crore.
How many people were arrested and who are they?
Seven people were arrested across the two raids. In the first raid, four accused were held — including residents of Dholka (Ahmedabad), Barmer (Rajasthan), and Boriyavi (Anand). In the second raid, three were arrested, all originally from Uttar Pradesh but residing in Vadodara.
Under what laws were the cases registered?
Both cases were registered under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. The first case also invoked Sections 3, 7, and 8 of the Essential Commodities Act. The second case involved additional sections related to organised criminal activity.
Are there any accused still at large?
Yes. Two accused — Vivek Vanvasi from Pratapgarh district and a person identified only as Vijay — have been named as wanted by police. A notice was also issued to a 15-year-old from Uttar Pradesh who was found at the scene.
Why is the State Monitoring Cell involved in these cases?
The State Monitoring Cell handles organised crime and economic offences in Gujarat, and its involvement indicates that authorities view these operations as part of a broader organised network rather than isolated local thefts. The cross-state profile of the accused and the recovery of multiple transport vehicles support this assessment.
