No relief for Thane petrol pump owners
The HPCL issued show cause notices to the concerned petrol pumps.
Mumbai: A sessions court in district Thane has refused to grant any relief or direct Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL) from acting upon show cause notices issued to different petrol pumps and also refused to restrain it from terminating dealership agreement following raids on several petrol pumps in district Thane.
Police officers of crime branch of Thane, along with Weights and Measures Officers, technicians of Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) and officers from HPCL conducted raids from June 2017 onwards at different petrol pumps. During the inspection, it was found that many petrol pumps were allegedly dispensing less petrol to vehicles than charged for and shown on the indicator. Following this, the HPCL issued show cause notices to the concerned petrol pumps asking them why suitable actions should not be taken against them.
The petitioners, who are owners of nine petrol pumps situated in Ambernath, Bhiwandi, Kalyan, Navi Mumbai, Thane and Raigad, refuted the allegations and claimed that they have approached the high court for arbitration proceedings and HPCL should be restrained from taking coercive action against them. They also claimed that they have invested a huge amount in running retail outlet and in case of termination of dealership agreement they would suffer irreparable loss.
Among other things they had also contended that there was no tampering with seals affixed by government officers and therefore allegation of tampering is unsustainable.
The HPCL justified the action based on the reports produced in the court.
After hearing the arguments, principal district judge Vinay Joshi held that the corporation has every authority to seek an explanation from the dealer if some lapses are noticed. The judge noted that it has also agreed to give a hearing to the applicants.
About claim of financial loss to dealers, the judge said, “Whenever there exists conflict of interest in between individual vis-a-vis to the general public, the interest of common man would prevail.”