Date:16/02/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/02/16/stories/2008021652790300.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

Illegal LPG refilling unit raided, 3 held

Staff Reporter

BANGALORE: The Central Crime Branch police on Wednesday raided an illegal liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) refilling unit in Nayandahalli under Byatarayanapura Police Station limits and seized 113 LPG cylinders and equipment used to refill the cylinders, all worth Rs. 6 lakh.

The police also arrested three persons in this connection.

They gave the names of the arrested as Shekhar Gowda (28), a resident of Nagendra Block, Srinagar, said to be the kingpin of the racket, and his associates Brahmalinga (40), a resident of Nagendra Block, and Dharma (19), who resides near Nayandahalli railway station.

According to the police, the accused used to get domestic LPG cylinders from Kumar of Brahmalinga Agency in Hoskerehalli and Manju of Anusha Gas Agency in Bank Colony (both authorised distributors) and other private LPG distributors.

They used to siphon off LPG from domestic cylinders and transfer the contents to commercial, auto and lighting gas cylinders to make more money, the police said.

The seized material included 59 filled cylinders, 54 empty cylinders belonging to HP, Indane, Jyothi, Agni, Vishnu, Cauvery and Indigo cylinders; 25 LPG filling rods; two weighing machines; two goods autorickshaws and Rs. 8,500 in cash. They used to conduct the illegal business in two sheds located at Sankranthi Industrial Estate, opposite Vision Modular System, Pantharapalya, Nayandahalli, police said.

CCB police have registered a case with the Byatarayanapura police in this regard.