New Delhi, March 16 At least six FIRs have been registered across Delhi in connection with the illegal storage, refilling, and black marketing of LPG cylinders, with over 600 cylinders seized amid concerns over a possible supply shortage, police said on Monday.
Two cases were registered in outer north Delhi, while one case each was reported from east Delhi's Shakarpur, Rohini, and Gandhi Nagar in Shahdara, apart from one in Mundka.
In one of the largest seizures, the Crime Branch raided a warehouse operating under the name of Guruji Indane Gas Service in Mundka and recovered 610 LPG cylinders of various companies, officials said.
The raid revealed that commercial LPG cylinders belonging to multiple oil marketing companies were stored together at the premises, which was authorized only to distribute Indane commercial cylinders.
"The recovered stock included 423 Indane cylinders, 92 Bharat Gas cylinders, and 95 HP gas cylinders, both filled and empty," said Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Sanjeev Kumar Yadav.
Preliminary verification also indicated discrepancies in stock records. According to initial information from officials of the Indian Oil Corporation, the authorized stock of Indane commercial cylinders at the distributorship was expected to be nil as of March 10.
However, police found 133 filled Indane cylinders during the raid, raising suspicion of irregular stock management and illegal storage.
Police suspect that such hoarding of LPG cylinders is often carried out during periods of supply shortages to create artificial scarcity and sell them in the black market at inflated prices.
A case has been registered under the Essential Commodities Act and relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), while the owners of the warehouse are absconding, and efforts are underway to trace them.
Meanwhile, in east Delhi's Shakarpur, police arrested a 46-year-old man, identified as Yogesh Gupta, for allegedly refilling LPG from large domestic cylinders into smaller ones at his shop.
During a raid conducted on a tip-off, police recovered two domestic cylinders, three small cylinders, a gas transferring pipe, an LPG refilling machine, and a weighing machine.
Another case was registered in Shahdara's Gandhi Nagar area, where a 55-year-old man, identified as Ram Vilas Sharma, was apprehended for allegedly transferring LPG gas from domestic cylinders into smaller cylinders for commercial purposes at a shop in Dharampura.
Police recovered nine LPG cylinders, two gas filling machines, and a weighing machine from the spot.
In Rohini district, police arrested a delivery boy, identified as Pushpendra, who was allegedly involved in illegally transferring gas from domestic cylinders into commercial cylinders for black marketing. The accused was caught during a raid conducted in Vijay Vihar.
Police recovered two filled commercial cylinders, 15 filled domestic cylinders, four weighing machines, four refilling pipes used to transfer gas between cylinders, and a motorcycle allegedly used to transport them. A case has been registered under relevant provisions of the BNS and the Essential Commodities Act.
In outer north Delhi's Bawana area, two separate FIRs were registered against shopkeepers for allegedly illegally decanting LPG from large cylinders into smaller containers and selling them at inflated prices.
In the first case, Lokesh Kumar Yadav was caught by a patrolling constable in Pooth Khurd area while transferring gas from a large HP cylinder into a smaller cylinder. In another case, Amar Jeet Kumar, a resident of Krishna Vihar in Bawana, was also booked for similar illegal LPG refilling activities, police said.
Police seized large LPG cylinders, smaller cylinders, and gas transfer pipes with nozzles from the accused persons. Cases have been registered under Section 287 of the BNS and relevant provisions of the Essential Commodities Act, and proceedings have also been initiated for confiscation of the seized cylinders and equipment.
Police said strict action is being taken against those involved in illegal storage, hoarding, and refilling of LPG cylinders, as such activities not only violate control regulations but also pose serious fire and safety hazards in densely populated areas.
Further investigation in the cases is underway.