Gujarat: Illegal gas refilling racket busted in Bharuch, assets of Rs 3.33 crore seized

Bharuch, Sep 17 (IANS) Gujarat's Dahej Police uncovered an illegal gas refilling operation in the industrial areas of Bharuch district, seizing assets worth over Rs 3.33 crore.

The operation, which involved siphoning gas from tankers into bottles, was being carried out in the parking area of a hotel near Paniyadra village.

Dahej Police Station Inspector H. V. Zala and his team, during routine patrols, spotted five LPG tankers and a pickup truck near Mahalaxmi Hotel. Upon investigation, they found several individuals illegally transferring gas from the tankers into bottles. When the police approached, the individuals fled, but two were apprehended while around ten others managed to escape, officials informed on Tuesday.

The arrested individuals were identified as Dhanaram Bhikharam Luhar, a resident of Paniyadra village, who is originally from Rajasthan, and Mustakali Mahebubali from Maharashtra. During questioning, Dhanaram revealed that he had rented Mahalaxmi Hotel and allowed tanker drivers to use the premises for meals.

A month ago, a man named Rakesh and another unidentified individual approached him with an offer to siphon gas from the tankers, promising Rs 50 per gas bottle. Since then, the illegal operation has been running.

One of the tankers had an open valve, posing a significant risk of an explosion. The police informed the local authorities and fire brigade to close the valve and prevent any mishap.

During the raid, the police seized five gas tankers, a pickup truck, gas-filled bottles, and empty bottles. The total value of the confiscated assets amounted to Rs 3.33 crore. At the time of the raid, 36 gas bottles had already been filled, and the 37th was in the process of being filled. Police investigations revealed that the gang had filled 30 to 35 bottles daily using iron pipes fitted to the tankers’ valves.

The authorities have registered a case against the two arrested individuals while efforts are underway to track down the other suspects involved in the illegal activity. Further legal action is being taken as the investigation progresses.