Petrol Pump Scam: Cops seal 2 pumps in Thane for dispensing less fuel, arrest owners

Police have sealed two petrol pumps in Thane and arrested their owners for cheating customers by installing electronic chips that make the dispensing units discharge less fuel but show an accurate reading.

According to an Asian Age report, Thane police are set to crack down on 100 more such petrol pumps.

On Saturday, Thane police officials raided two petrol pumps in Thane and Dombivali that were suspected of using an electronic chip to manipulate the fuel discharge.

Once installed, the dispensing units would display an accurate reading but release less fuel.

The arrested pump owners were Chetan Dhawan and Jagmohan Dhawan, who owned the Indian Oil petrol pump at Wagle Estate, and Vipul Dedhia, owner of Arman petrol pump in Dombivali.

Both pumps were sealed and the pulsers attached to petrol dispensing machines were seized. DCP Abhishek Trimukhe confirmed that the machines at the Indian Oil pump were dispensing only 4.8 litres fuel instead of 5 litres.

The police have received details about 100 more such pumps across Maharashtra, including Mumbai, that are reportedly involved in similar activities. Crime branch officials are now monitoring these pumps.

“We have got information that there are several chip makers staying in Maharashtra and they are selling it out of states. Our plan would be to track those chip makers,” an official told the daily.

The machines reportedly have a programmed integrated circuit (IC) installed in the dispensing unit. When an attendant pushes the lever to release petrol, the chip in the machine reads the fuel flow, but dispenses less fuel while showing a higher reading.

Thane police carried out similar raids in Navi Mumbai, Nashik and Pune as well.

Last month, Uttar Pradesh police had also arrested a Dombivali-based electronics post-graduate for supplying such chips to fuel station owners in the state.