Nagpur: A team of Thane Crime Branch raided a city-based Indian Oil petrol pump situated on Chhindwara Road and busted petrol pilferage racket. The raid was part of the state-wide crackdown on erring petrol pumps. Petrol pumps in 44 cities of seven districts have faced the action. The raiding sleuths of Crime Branch have found electronic chips installed in the fuel dispensers. The chips helped the petrol stations pilfer fuel, giving customers less than what they had paid for.
Raids were conducted at petrol pumps in Pune, Nashik, Navi Mumbai, Mumbai and Raigad. The cops found that there was a shortage of considerable quantity in the fuel dispensed by the machines in these places. Electronic chips have been seized from six machines. The Thane Crime Branch sent teams to Nagpur and Aurangabad, after receiving information about similar rackets running in these two cities. Electronic chips were seized from at least one petrol pump in each city, and teams are still conducting investigations there.
Notably, Nagpur Today had carried a report on June 11, 2017, titled “Crafty petrol pumps leaving the customers high and dry with less fuel” wherein it was stated that petrol pumps in Second Capital City of Nagpur, with no exception, are on cheating spree. A common scenario being witnessed these days at any petrol pump is brawls erupting between the fuel filling employees and the cheated people. The situation turning explosive on a day would not come as surprise. That the cunning employees, of course in connivance of the owners, have designed many ways through which they can cheat you to earn more money the easiest way.
A couple of examples were cited in the report. The examples were just a tip of iceberg. It is a common scenario among vehicle owners, who had at one time or the other thought they had bought fuel but later found out they either bought nothing or were short-changed in terms of the quantity. A cross section of vehicle owners claimed that they had noticed same at one time or the other but said that there was nothing they could do since they really could not establish any foul play.
The daylight cheating and looting is going on with impunity. One of the petrol pump attendants on the condition of not revealing his name threw light how they make easy but huge money from unsuspecting customers. But the tricks are all technical beyond the understanding of the common people. It could certainly be claimed that almost all petrol pumps, including the ones being run by petroleum companies, cheat the gullible customers in front of their eyes.