LUCKNOW, June 8 -- The Uttar Pradesh Economic Offences Wing (EOW) arrested two wholesale kerosene dealers from Kalpi in Jalaun district for their alleged involvement in diverting and embezzling government-supplied kerosene allocated under a drought relief scheme nearly 18 years ago, senior police officials said in a press note shared on Sunday. Acting on the directions of the director general of police, a Kanpur sector team arrested Ravindra Kumar Gupta and Rakesh Kumar from Kalpi on Saturday. Both were wanted in three criminal cases registered in connection with the alleged misappropriation of kerosene allotted by the state government during 2007-08. According to investigators, the state government had allocated 30,650 litres of kerosene, valued at Rs.3.06 lakh, for distribution among residents of drought-affected areas in Mahewa, Kadaura and Kalpi tehsils through fair-price shop dealers. However, the accused, who operated wholesale distribution firms, allegedly failed to supply the kerosene to authorised retailers and instead diverted and embezzled the stock in collusion with other accused persons. The case led to the registration of three criminal cases under charges including criminal breach of trust, cheating, forgery, criminal conspiracy and provisions of the Essential Commodities Act. EOW officials said that a total of eight persons were found culpable during the investigation. With the arrest of Gupta and Rakesh Kumar, two accused are now in custody, while efforts are underway to apprehend the remaining six. htc...