Rajkot, Oct 30 — The Gujarat Police’s State Monitoring Cell (SMC) has seized 517 LPG cylinders worth Rs 9.29 lakh and other equipment during raids at eight locations in a residential area of Rajkot district, busting an alleged illegal gas-refilling operation.
Seven people have been arrested, while 15 others have been named as wanted accused.
The raids were conducted on Friday in the jurisdiction of Bhaktinagar police station, primarily in the Nehrunagar area, where illegal refilling of domestic LPG cylinders was allegedly being carried out inside houses and godowns.
The State Monitoring Cell deployed two separate teams for the operation, citing the risk of an accident and loss of life and property as the activities were taking place in a residential locality.
The raids were conducted by Police Sub-Inspectors S V Galchar and V N Jadeja following instructions from Director General of Police (DGP) G. S. Malik to take action against illegal activities in the state.
The teams raided eight premises, including godowns and houses on Streets 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 of Nehrunagar.
These included premises belonging to arrested accused Ramesh Chavda, Meram Chavda, Hardev Chavda, Amit Dangar and Ashish Gogara, as well as godowns linked to wanted accused Praful Dangar, Dhirubhai Dangar and Umesh Boricha. Two godowns belonging to Dhirubhai Dangar were also searched.
Apart from the 517 gas cylinders, valued at Rs 9,29,100, the police seized 16 refilling pipes with nozzles, 44 sheets of stickers bearing the words 'Reliance Gas', 48 cylinder caps, five electric motors, 12 electronic weighing scales, two ordinary weighing scales, three vehicles, seven mobile phones, Rs 9,170 in cash and a spanner. The total value of the seized property was estimated at Rs 11,45,946.
Two separate FIRs were registered at Bhaktinagar police station on October 30 against the 22 accused.
The cases invoke Sections 125, 287 and 54 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, Sections 3 and 7 of the Essential Commodities Act, and Section 9(B)(1)(B) of the Explosives Act, 1884.
The seven arrested accused have been identified as Hardev Chavda, Meram Chavda and Ramesh Chavda, all residents of New Gopalvandana, Street No. 5, Rajkot; Rakesh Bishnoi of Chitbera in Jodhpur, Rajasthan; Purannath Kori of Shivshakti Forging on Dhebar Road, Rajkot; Amit Dangar of Nehrunagar, Street No. 8; and Ashish Gogara of Nehrunagar, Street No. 10.
The 15 wanted accused include Raju Solanki and Karan Lavadiya, associated with Jaymin Gas Agency; Mangabhai, associated with Madhuram Gas Agency; Arvind Nat, associated with Jai Bhim Gas Agency; Hitesh Chavda, associated with AGS Piyour Gas Agency; and Shailesh Chavda, associated with Madhuram Gas Agency.
The remaining wanted accused have been identified as Chandubhai Rathod, Jitendra Jariwala, Dhirubhai Raydhanbhai Dangar, Prafulbhai Naranbhai Dangar, Umeshbhai Prabhatbhai Boricha, Sanjaybhai Chavda, Sanjaybhai Rajput, Raj and Tajuddin.
The police also found previous cases of a similar nature against two of the arrested accused. Meram Chavda was previously booked at Bhaktinagar police station in 2015, while Ramesh Gagubhai Chavda had cases registered against him at Aatkot and Dhoraji police stations in Rajkot district in 2021.
The State Monitoring Cell said further action is being taken against those named in the cases.