Black marketing of subsidized diesel for fishing boats busted

Rajkot: While talk of petrol and diesel shortages swirls, the special operations group (SOG) of Devbhumi Dwarka police busted a diesel black-marketing operation. The authorities seized a mini truck with 1,000 litres of diesel and arrested one individual.

According to police, the racket had a sophisticated modus operandi. The perpetrators were procuring large quantities of diesel from authorized pumps using fishing boat tokens approved by the fisheries department and illegally selling it in the black market to capitalize on the shortage rumours.

Acting on a tip-off received while patrolling near the Jam Khambhalia govt hospital, an SOG team kept watch on the Khambhalia-Salaya road, ahead of Haripar village, opposite the District Sports Complex. The team successfully intercepted the suspect’s vehicle.

On inspecting the back of the vehicle, the police found four barrels and two small carboys with a total of 1,000 litres of diesel. The driver was identified as Bhikhu Pindariya, 28, a farmer from Laluka in Khambhalia taluka. Pindariya was unable to produce valid bills or documentation for the fuel he was transporting.

The accused claimed he had bought the diesel from one Harun Adam Jasraya, a resident of Salaya. Pindariya said he had bought the fuel for agricultural use in tractors and earth movers because diesel is difficult to procure elsewhere due to the current scarcity.

The accused and seized items have been handed over to Jam Khambhalia police for further investigation into the broader racket.

Fishermen get subsidized diesel through designated pumps managed by Gujarat Fisheries Central Co-operative Association and local fisherman co-operative societies. Fishermen get diesel for use in fishing boats after generating an online token.