The CB Control of Economic Offences Wing arrested the Managing Director of MS Westcare Joint Venture Company in the case wherein the police had busted two illegal fuel stations in the city. The accused is alleged to be the main brain behind this racket, police said. The police have also summoned Khopoli-based petrochemical company officials that used to provide industrial oil to these fuel stations.
The arrested person has been identified as Lalit Shah (49) and he is the second accused to be arrested in the case.
According to Joint Commissioner of Police (EOW), Niket Kaushik, specific information was received on February 4 that diesel was illegally stored in huge tanks and kept inside two shipping containers placed on the footpath and its illegal use and sale of diesel was going on large scale in Dharavi and Mahim areas. Subsequently a team led by police inspector Nitin Patil conducted raids and arrested Indrasingh Rathod, who worked as a supervisor of the illegal fuel stations.
About 13,550 litre of diesel stored in several tanks has been seized by the police along with other equipment like diesel dispensary machines/pumps. The said containers were being used as illegal fuel stations. Apart from using the said diesel in their vehicles, the accused would also sell diesel to others cheaper than the prevailing market rate. A case was then registered by the police at Dharavi police station under the relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code, Essential Commodity Act and the Motor Spirit High Speed Diesel (The regulation of supply and distribution and malpractices) Order.
Inspector Patil said, "The said company had taken the contract of BMC to supply them Clean Up vehicles. The company would run their vehicles for the BMC and would bill the BMC for the services given and fuel consumed. The BMC had given permission to the company to set up their office space to run their operations. The company then set up containers on the footpaths of Mahim and Dharavi and inside these containers they would store tanks filled with adulterated diesel."
"Recently we had arrested Lalit Shah, who worked as the managing director of MS Westcare. The drivers, who were working for Shah's company, had informed Shah that there is a petrochemical company in Khopoli that provides industrial oil at Rs 50 per litre and can be used as a cheap substitute for diesel. Shah then met the said petrochemical company officials and got supplies of industrial oil. We have issued summons to the petrochemical company officials for enquiry," said inspector Patil.
