Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): District and Sessions Court has acquitted four persons accused of tampering with petrol dispensing machines under the Metrology Act. They were facing charges of manipulating fuel supply at a petrol pump.
Those acquitted are Pramod Kumar Prajapati alias Pintu, Raj Kumar Kalawat, Vijay Saxena and Shanta Minz. The petrol pump was allotted to Shanta Minz but operated by Vijay Saxena, a banker.
The case, registered in 2014, alleged that Pramod Prajapati, 27, who is technically skilled, had tampered with several fuel dispensing machines in Indore and nearby districts.
Investigators claimed that Pramod installed hidden devices inside machines and provided remote control to operators. The reconfigured machines dispensed about 5% less fuel, allegedly helping petrol pump owners earn up to Rs 25,000 a day. During raids, the devices could be switched off, making detection difficult.
Advocate Jagdish Gupta, counsel for the accused, said the case involved a petrol pump in Shajapur but was registered by the Crime Branch under Section 420 of the IPC and sections of the Metrology Act. He argued that the police had no jurisdiction under this Act, as enforcement falls under the Department of Weights and Measures.
He stated that the Crime Branch failed to produce any documentary proof to support the charge of cheating under Section 420. On these grounds, the court acquitted all four accused petrol pump owner, manager and operators on benefit of doubt.
