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“Rampant” adulteration of diesel was taking place in petrol pumps and millions of litres of kerosene were being siphoned off as owners and dealers were “very powerful people like politicians”, the Supreme Court said today.
“It is not a happy situation. It is something which is rampant and unfortunate and very powerful people like politicians have petrol pumps. They can tamper with the machine. They are the people who will resist the change,” a bench headed by Chief Justice T S Thakur observed.
“Go to small and rural areas, all types of people are at play. Criminals and politicians,” the bench said while expressing serious concern over the matter.
“How do you prevent adulteration? How to stop it? Is there any strategy,” it asked, adding that “millions of litres of kerosene is siphoned off.”
The bench, which also comprised Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud, made the remarks while ordering a probe by a joint secretary rank officer of Ministry of Petroleum against Uttar Pradesh Samajwadi Party MLA, Devendra alias Mukesh Agarwal, who has been accused by his rival BSP leader Seema Upadhyay of indulging in adulteration of diesel at petrol pumps owned or operated by him through benami names.
It also asked Solicitor General Ranjit Kumar to file an affidavit on behalf of the Ministry spelling out measures to stop adulteration and siphoning off of subsidised kerosene.
The bench, which did not pay heed to Kumar’s submission that private interest was being raised under the garb of PIL by a rival politician, directed that the inquiry report be submitted to the apex court within six weeks.
It said the inquiry officer should send notice to Agarwal, an MLA from Sadabad in Hathras district, to get his response on the allegation of Upadhyay, also a former MP.
It asked the Ministry to examine various options to check adulteration in petrol and diesel including the possibility of installing machines which can detect adulteration.
Upadhyay’s counsel Rajeev Sharma said it was not a question of political rivalry between the two leaders but an attempt was being made to show how rampant adulteration in petroleum products was and how the “oil mafia” works.
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