UP STF arrests 23 people in petrol pump cheating case

The UP STF officials on Friday arrested 23 persons in connection with raids at seven petrol pumps which were allegedly using the remote controlled chip in fuel dispensing machines to dupe unsuspecting consumers. The STF also registered 7 FIRs in the case.

Earlier in the day, the STF sealed these petrol pumps and interrogated 14 people in this connection, ASP (STF) Arvind Chaturvedi told.

On a tip-off, STF sleuths last night picked up an electrician who used to install these chips in petrol dispensing machines which reduced the fuel output, he said.

“On his information, we carried out raids in seven petrol pumps and found that all of them were using the chip and making profits by saving petrol in every filling,” the ASP said.

Raids will also be carried out in other parts of the state as the STF has information that the chip has been sold to a large number of pumps, he added.

The chip costing around Rs 3,000 when installed in the dispensing machines reduced the output by nearly five to ten per cent. The chip is attached with a wire which is linked with a remote control that set the limit, the STF said.

If the dispensing machine is fitted with this chip, a customer will get only 940 ml petrol for the price of one litre.

“On an average, the petrol pumps using this device were earning an undue profit of Rs 14 lakh per month,” the ASP said.