Lucknow: In a major crackdown codenamed ‘Operation Ethanol Shield’, Lucknow Crime Branch has busted an organised fuel pilferage and adulteration racket, arresting four people and seizing over 16,000 litres of petrol, diesel, adulterated fuel and industrial solvent.The operation was launched after police examined complaints blaming ethanol-blended petrol for vehicle breakdowns. Preliminary findings suggested that several such cases could instead be linked to fuel theft, adulteration and black marketing.Based on specific intelligence, a team led by ADCP (Crime) Kiran Yadav raided a premises near the Sanyasi Bagh flyover in Malihabad on Sunday and intercepted a fuel tanker and another vehicle.“The tanker had loaded petrol and diesel from Amausi terminal for delivery to a filling station. Instead, fuel was allegedly siphoned off en route and sold illegally,” Yadav said.A joint inspection with the excise department confirmed illegal fuel storage and adulteration.Police seized 7,750 litres of petrol, 4,000 litres of diesel, 1,150 litres of adulterated petrol, 3,200 litres of solvent, besides plastic cans, pipes, funnels, dip rods, measuring equipment and other tools used for siphoning and adulteration. Investigators also found that nearly 250 litres of petrol had already been siphoned from the tanker, indicating the operation was in progress when the raid was conducted.Police said that the gang allegedly waited for fuel tankers to slow down or halt in heavy traffic stretches before carrying out the siphoning operation. The stolen fuel was then transferred to storage containers, mixed with industrial solvent and sold in the local market as genuine fuel to maximise profits.“During interrogation, tanker driver allegedly confessed to diverting fuel from consignments lifted at the depot and selling it to a man for Rs 75 per litre,” ADCP Kiran Yadav said.Police suspect a larger network involving tanker drivers, handlers and fuel black-marketers and are probing whether similar pilferage has taken place in other fuel consignments delivered across Lucknow.Police said that during interrogation, the accused informed them that he earlier ran a roadside paan shop on a highway, where he developed contacts with fuel tanker drivers due to their frequent stops. He initially siphoned 5-6 litres of petrol or diesel from tankers and sold it illegally before graduating to an organised fuel pilferage and adulteration racket over the past 5-6 months.
