Dombivli resident Vivek Shetye provided micro chips after writing a software on it, which would then be installed in the dispensing units by tampering their seals
In what could be a major breakthrough in the petrol pump scam, which was busted in Uttar Pradesh, the mastermind of the scam was arrested by the Thane Crime Branch from Dombivli. During interrogation, the prime accused revealed that he was running the business of preparing micro chips for the past decade, helping petrol pump owners shortchange consumers.
Dombivli resident Vivek Shetye, 47, a Master in Science (Electronics) degree holder, provided micro chips after writing a software on it, which would then be installed in the dispensing units by tampering their seals. This resulted in a lower fuel supply to customers. Uttar Pradesh’s Special Task Force had earlier busted the scam and had shared the details of the two main accused involved in providing technical support to the petrol pump owners.
Another accused, Avinash Naik, 37, a resident of Pimpri-Chinchwad working with a company involved in security systems and home automation, was arrested for supplying remote controls to Shetye, were then used to control fuel supply automatically. Naik, a graduate in Electronics, was an employee who liaised with Shetye to provide the remote controls, which were later rigged with a chip.
Param Bir Singh, Thane Police Commissioner, said, “The STF from UP that shared information with us that led to the accused residence.
We seized 110 micro chips, 177 remote controls, and oscilloscope from them.”
A source in the Thane Crime Branch revealed, “Shetye provided the micro chips to petrol pump owners and charged them Rs 10,000 to Rs 50,000 for a set of automatic fuel supply control kits,” said the officer.
Meanwhile, the arrest of Vivek Shetye has ruffled the feathers in the state with the Legal Metrology Organisation teaming up with the Thane police to conduct checks on petrol pumps to ascertain if the dispensing units are rigged. Moreover, the oil companies too will be involved in such checks.
“We have formed a team to assist the Thane police to understand the modus operandi of the person involved in the petrol scam in Uttar Pradesh. We will be conducting checks on petrol pumps in the state with the help of oil companies,” said Amitabh Gupta, Controller of LMO.
While Jeetendra Patil, owner of Vigil Systems, denied all the allegations against his employee, he said, “We are just involved in providing the remote controls. My employee had supplied it to the chip maker. We were unaware of our remote controls being used for a scam.”
CONFESSIONS
- Shetye revealed that he had been making the micro chips for the past decade.
- Naik coordinated with Shetye to provide the remote controls.
(With inputs from Srawan Shukla)
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