Mumbai man is arrested in UP petrol pump scam

Mumbai: In an investigation that found nearly 80 per cent petrol pumps in Uttar Pradesh (UP) using rigged electronic chips to dispense lower quantities of fuel, the special task force (STF) of UP police on Monday arrested two men for allegedly supplying cheat chips to UP petrol pump owners.

Of the two accused identified as Vivek Shetey, 43, and Avinash Naik, 37, the former, arrested from Dombivali, is an electronics post-graduate who manufactured the chips at his workshop and allegedly sold each chip for Rs 50,000 to accused in UP.

According to Thane police, Shetey was arrested for selling cheat chips to UP-based suspect, Ajay Chaurasia. A Thane police officer said, “Shetey has supplied more than 300 ch?ips to men in UP. He used to manufacture the chips at his home and office in Dombivali’s Nilje village. His family did not know about his business. He never took anyone’s help as he never trusted anyone. He would make one chip in three days. He has been doing this work for the past six years. Earlier, he would sell a single chip for Rs 3,000 but now, he was selling them at Rs 50,000 per piece. Petrol pump owners were earning lakhs of rupees every day because of these chips.”

The chips were attached to petrol pumps using remote control which would set the limit and if customers sought one litre petrol, they ended up getting 940 ml or less. Thane police is now probing whether Shetey sold cheat chips in Maharashtra.

Thane police commissioner, Parambir Singh, said, "Our officials helped UP officials nab the accused. Our officials have seized several electronic gadgets from Shetey’s shop in Dombivali. We are investigating whether he sold such chips in Maharashtra.” The other accused in the case, Naik, was arrested from Pune.