Panchkula: 25 booked for siphoning gas from LPG cylinders before delivery

Anirudh Mittal, the owner of Panchkula Gas Service, and Pawan Jain, the distributor of Roop Gas Agency, have been booked but are yet to be arrested

A joint raid conducted by the CM flying squad led to the uncovering of a large-scale gas pilfering operation on Tuesday. As many as 25 individuals from two gas agencies in Sector 3 have been booked.

A joint raid was conducted by the flying squad team, Sector 5 police, officials from the weights and measures department, and the food and supplies department. During the operation, the raiding team witnessed drivers and helpers of both gas agencies actively engaged in the illegal transfer of gas between cylinders in the loaded delivery vehicles. (HT Photo)

Police seized eight metal pipes, believed to be the instruments used for siphoning gas, from 14 employees of Panchkula Gas Service (Indane Gas) and Roop Gas Agency (HP Gas) apprehended on the spot. The police said all 14 who were arrested were released on bail owing to the offence’s nature. However, nine other accused, including drivers and helpers, managed to flee.

Anirudh Mittal, the owner of Panchkula Gas Service, and Pawan Jain, the distributor of Roop Gas Agency, have also been booked but are yet to be arrested. The seized evidence and the involvement of the gas agency owners suggest a well-entrenched operation designed to defraud consumers for earning illegal profit.

The modus operandi involved employees of both gas agencies illicitly extracting gas from filled cylinders before delivering them to customers. According to the FIR, the perpetrators used flute-like metal pipes to siphon off significant quantities of gas, ranging from one to two kg per cylinder. This stolen gas was then transferred into empty cylinders, resulting in the supply of underweight cylinders to unsuspecting customers.

Acting on this intelligence, a joint raid was conducted by the flying squad team, Sector 5 police, officials from the weights and measures department, and the food and supplies department. During the operation, the raiding team witnessed drivers and helpers of both gas agencies actively engaged in the illegal transfer of gas between cylinders in the loaded delivery vehicles.

Upon inspection and weighing the gas cylinders loaded in a total of 13 vehicles (five belonging to Panchkula Gas Service and eight to Roop Gas Agency), significant discrepancies were discovered. Out of the 558 cylinders checked, 238 were found to contain less than the prescribed quantity of gas, with the deficit ranging from a mere 20 gm to a substantial 10.350 kg. Additionally, 47 empty cylinders were found loaded in the vehicles.

The Sector 5 police registered a case against all 25 accused on Tuesday under Sections 61 (criminal conspiracy) and 318(4) (cheating) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Sections 7 and 10 of the Essential Commodities Act, 1955.

Be aware

The LPG cylinder delivery vehicle should be carrying a weighing scale for checking the weight of the cylinder. A full 14.2 kg LPG cylinder has a gross weight of approximately 29.5 kg. Before taking the delivery of the domestic gas cylinder, check if the seal is intact. Always get your refill cylinder weighed in your presence before its delivery.