The Sarkhej police have registered a case against a Zepto delivery rider for allegedly stealing edible oil worth nearly ₹1 lakh from the quick-commerce company's warehouse in Ahmedabad over a period of almost a month.

According to the police complaint, the alleged theft was detected during a routine stock verification at Zepto's warehouse located at Nalanda Icon, opposite the Sarkhej-Makarba headquarters.

The complaint was filed by Salimbhai Harunbhai Rafai (27), a rider captain with the company, who noticed discrepancies in the inventory during a stock audit conducted on July 7.

CCTV footage, audit expose alleged theft

Following the stock mismatch, Zepto's security and loss prevention team reviewed CCTV footage and internal order records, which allegedly identified Ujermiya Hamidmiya Syed (28), another delivery rider, as the accused.

According to the FIR, Syed allegedly misused the same delivery identification multiple times between June 1 and June 28 to generate orders and remove edible oil canisters from the warehouse without authorisation.

The company's internal audit allegedly found 12 canisters of Tirupati cottonseed oil, valued at ₹32,316, and 22 canisters of Gulab edible oil, worth ₹66,858, missing from the warehouse.

The total value of the allegedly stolen stock has been estimated at ₹99,174.

Police launch investigation

After the missing stock could not be accounted for during inventory verification, the matter was reported to the warehouse manager and subsequently to the Sarkhej police.

Based on the complaint, police have registered an FIR on charges of theft and launched an investigation.

Investigators will examine the CCTV footage, digital order records and other electronic evidence submitted by the company to determine the sequence of events and whether the accused acted alone or with the help of others.