Mumbai: Deonar Police Book BPCL Distributor Over 117 Empty HPCL Cylinders; ₹4.42 Lakh Worth Of Property Seized
· Free Press Journal
Mumbai, October 29, 2026: The Deonar police have registered an FIR against Anju Desai, authorised representative and owner of Ashish Gas Agency, a distributor of Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL), and others, including agency vehicle driver Pritam Vishnu Vaphilkar, for allegedly possessing empty cylinders belonging to Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) with the intention of selling them on the black market.
The case was registered following an inspection by the Food and Civil Supplies Department, which led to the seizure of 117 empty HPCL cylinders of various capacities, ranging from 2 kg to 19 kg, from a tempo associated with the agency.
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Based on a complaint lodged by rationing officer Sonali Dhananjay Dhandaranekar, a case has been registered under Sections 3, 7, 8 and 9 of the Essential Commodities Act, 1955, and Sections 3 and 6 of the Liquefied Petroleum Gas (Regulation of Supply and Distribution) Order, 2000.
Complaint Triggers Inspection
According to the complaint, Dhandaranekar is attached to Rationing Office No. 22 in Anushakti Nagar. On October 28, the department received a phone complaint from Sandeep Ashok Panpatil alleging irregularities in gas cylinder distribution by Ashish Gas Agency near Deonar Industries, behind the M-East Ward office, on Smashan Bhoomi Road.
Following the complaint, a team comprising rationing inspector Rajesh Kolugade and personnel from Deonar police station visited the spot to verify the allegations. Several trucks and tempos belonging to the agency were parked there, and Desai was present at the location.
The complainant had alleged that vehicles were being parked without authorisation and that cylinders were being transferred between vehicles in violation of prescribed rules. Officials conducted an inspection and counted the cylinders found in the vehicles.
Agency Cites Delivery Arrangements
During questioning, Desai reportedly informed the officials that the agency's warehouse was located in Bhiwandi and that vehicles were parked at the site to facilitate deliveries to customers using smaller handcarts and tempos.
She also produced copies of government communications dated February 27, 2008, and a circular dated March 17, 2008, which she claimed permitted vehicles transporting LPG cylinders to be parked for limited periods to ensure smooth distribution, without imposing excessive restrictions on temporary storage during transportation.
After examining the documents and the circumstances at the site, the officials and panch witnesses reportedly agreed that the vehicles and cylinders initially found there were parked for customer deliveries and that no irregularity had been established at that stage.
117 Empty HPCL Cylinders Found
However, acting on the complaint, officials brought a small tempo bearing registration number MH03 FC 0209 to Deonar Police Station for further inspection. A search of the vehicle revealed 117 empty HPCL cylinders of capacities ranging from 2 kg to 19 kg.
Since Ashish Gas Agency is authorised to distribute BPCL cylinders, the presence of cylinders belonging to a competing oil marketing company raised suspicion.
Desai reportedly told the officials that during a recent LPG shortage, the agency had collected empty cylinders from customers and supplied them with BPCL cylinders for their convenience. She claimed that the empty HPCL cylinders found in the vehicle had been returned by customers.
When asked to submit a written explanation, Desai reportedly provided a typed statement on the agency's letterhead in the presence of panch witnesses.
Property Worth Rs 4.42 Lakh Seized
The agency and the other accused have been booked on the allegation that empty HPCL cylinders were collected from customers and stored in an agency-owned vehicle with the intention of selling them on the black market. The allegations are under investigation.
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Mumbai Crime: 68 LPG Cylinders Seized From Abandoned Vehicle In Chembur; Case Registered Under Essential Commodities ActPolice have seized the tempo, valued at approximately Rs 3 lakh, along with the empty cylinders, whose reported value is around Rs 1.42 lakh. The total value of the seized property is estimated at Rs 4.42 lakh.
Further investigation is underway.
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