A bold operation by Uttar Pradesh’s STF has shattered an inter-state network notorious for distributing adulterated petrol and diesel, resulting in two arrests and the confiscation of substantial quantities of impure fuel. Targeting Salempur village in Mainpuri’s Kurawali jurisdiction on February 9 evening, the action exposed deep-rooted fraud in the fuel sector.
The duo in custody—Radhe Shyam of Firozabad and local Ankit Yadav—yielded a trove of evidence: smartphones, spurious IDs, banking cards, cash, and fabricated documents purporting to authorize petrol pump setups from major oil firms.
Fuel seizures were staggering—4,000 liters contaminated petrol and 1,000 liters diesel at Salempur’s Avagadh Pump; 3,000 liters adulterated diesel at Chandai Kurawali’s IBP station, now sealed as an illegal venture.
Questioning peeled back layers of deception. Radhe Shyam orchestrated a 2018 sham company in Delhi, evolving it into a phony refinery to con people into paying for non-existent pump approvals across Kannauj, Etawah, Firozabad, Auraiya, and Mainpuri—a tally exceeding a dozen fake outlets.
Ankit Yadav ran an unlicensed biodiesel station from 2020, spiking fuel with chemicals from UP-Haryana suppliers. This racket drained government revenues and inflicted severe damage on vehicles in countryside regions, sparking mechanical failures and accidents.
Charges under BNS provisions and Essential Commodities Act have been filed at Kurawali police station, with further inquiries in progress. The STF’s success signals a zero-tolerance stance against fuel mafias, urging enhanced vigilance to safeguard public interest and economic integrity.