The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has busted an illegal LPG refilling operation in Hariyala village of Gujarat’s Kheda district, arresting two men and seizing 84 filled and empty cylinders along with a tempo, electric motor, weighing scale and other equipment valued at Rs 6.61 lakh, according to a report by Divya Bhaskar.
The raid was conducted at Zhalebiya Pura in Hariyala village after the CID received information that illegal refilling was being carried out at and around the residence of Chhela Rana Bharwad. The agency arrested Bharwad and Vishnu Parag Parmar during the operation, the report said.
According to the report, the two men were allegedly transferring LPG from one cylinder to another using a motor and pipe, without safety equipment. The gas was then being weighed, fitted with company plastic seals and sold in smaller cylinders at lower prices.
The seized material included 84 large and small cylinders, both filled and empty, as well as the electric motor and weighing equipment used in the alleged operation. A tempo was also among the items taken into custody. The total value of the seized material was reported at Rs 6.61 lakh.
The investigation also identified a connection with an authorised gas distribution network. Bharwad allegedly worked as a contractor for R.K. Gas Agency, while Parmar worked as a delivery worker, according to the report. The cylinders involved were reported to be Bharat Gas cylinders.
The alleged operation involved shifting gas from filled cylinders into smaller empty cylinders and selling the refilled cylinders directly to customers. The use of company plastic seals after weighing was also reported, indicating an attempt to present the cylinders as commercially distributed products.
The case places attention on the safety risks created when LPG is transferred outside authorised distribution and handling systems. The report said the refilling was conducted without safety equipment, while the CID described the activity as dangerous. No details about injuries or an accident linked to the operation were reported.
Police registered a case against both men after the raid and began further investigation. The authorities’ inquiry is expected to establish the full extent of the alleged activity, the source and destination of the cylinders, and whether others were involved in the distribution network.
