Kathmandu, June 27: Oil theft incidents have been on the rise within the Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC), with increasing evidence pointing to the involvement of its own employees. Yet, these insiders often manage to escape accountability.

According to NOC sources, on June 13, Ganesh Raj Joshi, an operations officer at the Thankot depot, was found to have dispatched an extra 300 liters of fuel in tanker Na. 4 Kha 9422. The tanker, en route to deliver 20,000 liters to Salambudevi Oil Store, was caught mid-journey siphoning fuel from the chamber’s manhole into buckets. The matter was reported to the depot chief, prompting the Bagmati provincial head and Thankot depot in-charge Ashok Sah to demand an explanation from Mangal Dhuwani Sewa, the transport company operating the tanker. Since July 1, that tanker has been barred from service.

Insiders say such thefts are virtually impossible without the knowledge or complicity of both the depot chief and dispatch officials. However, instead of holding Joshi accountable, Sah attempted to shield him, formally shifting the blame to the transport company and asking them to submit a written clarification within three days.

The clarification notice stated that the driver had diverted and stolen fuel after loading 20,000 kiloliters from the depot. The corporation cited regulations requiring strict action against drivers involved in such thefts. It warned of punitive action under transport rules if the explanation was not submitted on time.

This is just one example among hundreds of similar incidents that have occurred at the NOC. While tanker drivers and assistants are routinely punished, internal staff members — often directly involved — are rarely held accountable. This pattern suggests systemic collusion among higher-level officials.

The stolen fuel is typically sold at lower prices to pumps in and around Kathmandu. The proceeds are believed to be shared with senior officials in the corporation.

When questioned, Thankot depot chief Ashok Sah initially denied any wrongdoing, dismissing the incident as baseless. But when confronted with the tanker number, transport company name, and a clarification letter signed by himself, Sah admitted the theft. He claimed the dealer had called after catching the assistant red-handed. The assistant was later fired, and the driver claimed ignorance in his defense.

Sah further argued that once a tanker leaves the depot, the corporation is no longer responsible. Meanwhile, NOC spokesperson Manoj Thakur said he had no knowledge of the incident.

Thankot depot, however, has a long history of oil theft. Under former chief Shailendra Bhusal, fuel was siphoned off regularly — sometimes up to 1,000 liters a day over a three-month period. Another employee, Jagdish Joshi, was found dispatching excess fuel using tanker Na. 8 Kha 1196.

When the issue became public, Joshi was quietly removed from duty for two months, then transferred to the Dhangadhi depot. The tanker involved was suspended from operations for five months. The corporation managed the matter internally to avoid exposure, fearing that disciplinary action against senior staff could open the floodgates to deeper scandal.

People’s News Monitoring Service