The Nagpur City Crime Branch has busted an illegal gas cylinder refilling and black marketing operation in Hingna, arresting two persons and seizing equipment, vehicles and cylinders collectively valued at ?11.21 lakh.
The action was taken by Crime Branch Unit No. 1 on February 9, 2026, around 5.10 pm, after receiving reliable information about unlawful refilling of domestic LPG cylinders into commercial cylinders at a godown situated in a farm at Khadki village, within Hingna police station limits.
Acting on the tip-off, the Crime Branch team conducted a raid in the presence of panch witnesses and caught two accused while illegally transferring gas from domestic cylinders into commercial ones. The arrested individuals were identified as Sunilkumar Hadmanaram Jani (42) and Prakash Budharam Khilleri (23).
During questioning, the duo disclosed the involvement of their associates, including Shravan Kumar Rajuram Jani (23), godown owner Habib Gulam Sheikh of Khadki, Hingna, and the owner of Bhavani Gas Agency. All three main accused hail from Jodhpur district in Rajasthan and were allegedly operating the racket for financial gain.
Police seized 125 domestic HP gas cylinders and 54 commercial cylinders of HP Gas, Bharat Gas and Indane, taking the total to 179 cylinders. In addition, refilling machines, weighing scales, regulators, gas transfer pipes, vacuum pumps, six mobile phones, ?12,700 in cash and a Bolero pickup vehicle (RJ-18-GC-7609) were confiscated.
Officials stated that the illegal refilling posed a serious threat to public safety. A case has been registered at Hingna police station under Section 287 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Sections 3 and 7 of the Essential Commodities Act, 1955. The accused and seized material have been handed over to Hingna police. Further investigation is underway and efforts are on to nab absconding accused.
The operation was carried out under the guidance of senior police officials, including Police Commissioner Ravindrakumar Singal and Additional CP (Crime) Vasant Pardeshi, by PI Dnyaneshwar Bhedodkar and his team.
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