Fuel-pilfering gang busted; TSRTC employee among eight arrested by Cyberabad police

The accused was found to be using electronic chips to manipulate the discharge of fuel in a manner that less fuel was dispensed than what was shown on the display and receipt.

An assistant manager of TSRTC-run petrol pump, Hakimpet, Vandyala Vamshidhar Reddy (30), was among eight persons arrested by the Cyberabad police on Thursday for tampering with fuel-dispensing machines at various petrol stations in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.

Reddy along with other accused was found to be using electronic chips to manipulate the discharge of fuel in a manner that less fuel was dispensed than what was shown on the display and receipt. “They were causing loss running to crores of rupees to consumers by delivering less fuel,” Deputy Commissioner of Police (Balanagar zone) P.V. Padmaja said.

The Special Operations Team of Balanagr Zone led by DCP G. Sandeep got inputs information about the installation of chips (I.Cs), which were programmed with manipulated software in petrol stations with the connivance of the station management and causing heavy loss to the customers. Apart from Hyderabad and surrounding areas, the gang had manipulated the pumps in Kamareddy, Khammam, Wanaparthy, Suryapet, Siddipet, and other districts in Telangana.