BPCL recommends reopening of cheat petrol pumps

An oil company running a number of petrol pumps in the city has recommended reopening of the petrol pumps which were sealed, despite the fact that they were caught cheating consumers by fitting chips in devices to disturb the pulsars of dispensing machines to give less fuel.

Strangely, the officials of this company had promised to cancel the dealership of the cheat petrol pumps but acted differently. Territory manager of Bharat Petroleum Corporation has pleaded to the district administration to let the sealed pumps function as consumers are facing problems in getting petrol.

In desperation, the company has quoted some judgments of the Supreme Court to get the permission.

Hindustan Times is in possession of letter which the oil company (Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited) has shot to the district administration, recommending reopening of the sealed petrol pumps.

The pumps for which opening has been recommended by territory manager of BPCL include Brij Auto Care at Samta Moolak crossing, Gomti Nagar. The owner of this petrol pump is Deep Narain Sareen. The pump was sealed on April 27 and FIR was lodged against the owner.

The others are LP Vaish petrol pump in front of KMGU, Chowk and LP Vaish petrol pump at Daliganj crossing on Sitapur road, owned by Avinash Chandra Vaish and Sharad Chandra Vaish. They were sealed by the STF on April 27 and FIR was lodged against owners.

Another pump Sheo Narain and sons in Lucknow Cantt owned by Harish Chandra Mittal , Aman Mittal, Anoop Mittal was sealed on April 27. The BPCL has also recommended to reopen it.

Maan filling station in Purania Sitapur road owned by Anand Kumar Ray was sealed on April 27, and Lucknow filling station in Thakurganj Chowk, owned by Mohammmed Ayub Farooqui and Jameel Ara Farooqui has an FIR pending against it. Their reopening has also been recommended.

But the district administration is in no mood to let the cheat petrol pump function again.

A BPCL official said, “The permission to run the petrol pumps has been sought for continuous supply of fuel to the common man. We can also run them as company operated pumps.”

However, the company operated pump which was run by Indian Oil in Vibhutikhand, Gomti Nagar was also found cheating consumers through a chip and remote device. Defending itself, IOC said the pump was sublet to an individual through an agreement on behalf of the company.