Police said the cylinders were sourced from a gas agency in Meerut. They were reportedly loaded onto the vehicle at a secluded location before being transported to Delhi for illegal sale
The suspect told investigators that he had brought around 70 cylinders from Uttar Pradesh a day before his arrest. Representational Pic/File
A 28-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly selling LPG cylinders illegally in southeast Delhi's Jamia Nagar, police said on Tuesday, reported the PTI.
The accused, identified as Shahnawaz, was detained during routine patrolling in the Yamuna Pusta area.
Police officials said they found Shahnawaz standing near a tempo loaded with LPG cylinders and selling them to local residents.
When questioned, he failed to produce any valid licence or authorisation.
A total of 62 cylinders — including 48 filled and 14 empty ones — were recovered. The vehicle used to transport them was also seized, according to the PTI.
Illegal sales for profit
During preliminary questioning, the accused admitted to selling LPG cylinders without issuing receipts in order to make higher profits.
He also revealed that he was working with an associate, identified as Mukesh, who allegedly arranged the supply of cylinders.
Supply chain traced to UP
Police said that the cylinders were sourced from a gas agency in Meerut. They were reportedly loaded onto the vehicle at a secluded location before being transported to Delhi for illegal sale.
The suspect told investigators that he had brought around 70 cylinders from Uttar Pradesh a day before his arrest and sold them at inflated prices in the Jamia Nagar area.
Legal action and ongoing probe
A case has been registered under the Essential Commodities Act and relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Police are now working to arrest the co-accused Mukesh, while further investigation is underway.
The arrest comes amid a broader crackdown by the Delhi Police on illegal storage, refilling and black marketing of LPG cylinders.
Officials said that more than 600 cylinders have been seized in multiple cases registered across the city in recent days.
Delhi Police issues advisory, warns public of cyber fraud amid LPG crisis
Meanwhile, the Delhi Police had last week on Friday issued an advisory for public and warned people of cyber fraud amid LPG shortage concerns due to tensions in West Asia, reported the PTI.
The police has cautioned residents against cyber fraudsters attempting to exploit rumours about a shortage of LPG cylinders.
It warned that scammers are spreading panic and using deceptive messages and calls to trick individuals into sharing sensitive information or installing malicious applications.
In an advisory shared on social media, police said that fraudsters are circulating suspicious links and impersonating gas agency representatives in an attempt to steal personal and financial details, according to the PTI.
According to officials, cyber criminals may contact residents claiming to represent gas agencies and insist that immediate verification or registration is required to secure an LPG cylinder. Victims are often urged to click on links or download files sent through messaging platforms, the news agency reported.
Once users interact with these links, scammers may gain access to personal data or banking information, potentially leading to financial losses.
Police specifically warned citizens not to download files with the “.apk” extension, which are Android application packages capable of installing software directly onto smartphones. Such files may contain malware that can compromise devices and allow criminals to access confidential information, including passwords, banking credentials and one-time passwords (OTPs). This access could enable fraudsters to siphon money from victims’ bank accounts, police said.
(with PTI inputs)
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