Maharashtra government crackdown on oil mafia

The ongoing action against the oil mafia in Maharashtra, triggered by the outrageous burning to death of additional collector Yashwant Sonawane, continued last night. As a matter of fact the raids were still on in Kurla in Mumbai and in Akola district till noon today when reports last came in.

Around 200 people have been taken into custody and about 1,250 litres of oil has been seized. The Maharashtra government has launched a crackdown on adulteration dens around kerosene depots in the state following mass protests against the killing of Yashwant Sonawane.

The crackdown has come on a day the union oil minister announced policy changes to bust the oil adulteration racket that is estimated to involve Rs10,000 crore.
The modus operandi, according to information available with TV channels, involves pilferage from kerosene tankers which is then adulterated with a cheaper fuel and then stored in drum meant for the black market.

According to Nitin Dhatrak, president, Nashik Petorl Dealers Association, the oil companies and the government should find out how keys to the locks on tankers are widely available. He added that outside the depot, every transporter has a key.

The oil companies store kerosene for supply to the govenment ration shops. This kerosene is stolen and then sold to the poor at a heft premium as ration shops seem to be perpetually in short supply of the fuel, when they are not completely out of stock. 

"The bigger thing is the difference between the kerosene prices we give through the PDS and the cost when it is adulterated with diesel. The difference is so huge," Maharashtra chief minister Prithviraj Chavan said.