STF recovers 11 chips from Aliganj fuel filling station
The UP Special Task Force (STF), in a joint operation with civil supplies department, recovered 11 remote-operatedchips from a fuel station here on Friday. Besides, two more pumps were raided on the day that further pushed the total number of petrol pumps raided so far in the state capital to 27.
Special team comprising STF sleuths and administrative officials raided a petrol pump—Aliganj Service Centre in Aliganj during the evening hours. Petrol pump has 20 nozzles and the remote operated chips that were programmed to dispense less fuel were recovered from 11 of the nozzles. “It’s a big number. All these nozzles were found dispensing less fuel which is a criminal offence,” said Arvind Chaturvedi, additional SP STF.
Chaturvedi said, all the nozzles were sealed with immediate effect. He said, the petrol pump was dispensing 150ml less fuel in every 5 litres.
The team also raided Start petrol pump at Hardoi road and PP Distributor Aishbagh. Officials, however, said from both the petrol pumps no such chips were recovered.
On Thursday, the team had raided Prakash Automobiles near Jawahar Bhawan and recovered chips from two of its dispensing units out of four.
It was almost a week back, STF and the administrative officials began the crackdown on the petrol pumps. So far, the STF has arrested 26 people, including five petrol pump owners and nine pump managers in the state capital. According to STF officials, probe has revealed that around 80% of petrol pumps across UP have been using devices to cheat consumers and were siphoning off an estimated Rs 200 crore per month.