Authorities in Uttar Pradesh have registered separate FIRs under sections of “criminal conspiracy” and “intimidation” against two Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) pump owners in Bulandshahr, following a complaint by Adani Group’s GA Head-Khurja. The accusations center on the alleged tampering of gas dispensing machine meters, a manipulation that reportedly led to the under-dispensing of gas to consumers while displaying inflated readings on the screens. According to the complainant, Sandip Mistry, machines at these CNG stations were found to deliver less gas than indicated, with officials later citing the fraud’s estimated scale at over Rs 1.4 crore.
Internal Probe Uncovers Technical Breach
Sandip Mistry reported to police that the initial probe suggested manipulation of the CNG dispensers’ motherboard by compromising secure passwords—a step that requires official authorization. The investigation revealed that two private firms, retained by Adani Group for machine servicing and operations, are believed to be implicated, along with their engineers and officials. Evidence, investigators say, strongly points to collusion within those contracted companies, posing broader concerns over third-party management of critical public infrastructure.
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Broader Conspiracy and Possible Collusion
Police allege that the individuals involved orchestrated a larger conspiracy aimed at causing financial harm to the Adani Group while securing illicit profits for themselves. The systematic nature of the theft—accomplished by tampering with CNG unit motherboards—suggests the involvement of additional, as yet unidentified, accomplices. Law enforcement suspects engineers, owners of other stations and operators might also be part of the network, expanding the scope of the illegal activities across multiple locations and prompting continued investigation.
Tampering Meant to Skew Gas Quantity Readings
According to the FIRs, the primary intention behind the manipulation was to deliberately interfere with, and alter, the electronic readings of the dispensers’ meters. This interference enabled the suspects to under-report the actual quantity of CNG dispensed, directly inflating financial losses. Bulandshahr SP (rural), Tejveer Singh, confirmed that the investigation is ongoing, with cases registered against Bhagwan Singh and Tapendra Singh under the relevant BNS sections. As investigations proceed, the Adani Group continues its city gas network operations, supplying piped natural gas to industrial, commercial, and domestic consumers