Lucknow: A paan kiosk allegedly served as the launch pad for a multi-lakh fuel pilferage and adulteration racket before being busted by the Lucknow crime branch.Police identified Anil Singh, 36, as the alleged mastermind behind the operation. Investigators claim he leveraged his kiosk, frequented by fuel tanker drivers and truckers, to build a network that eventually evolved into an organised fuel theft syndicate.The racket was unearthed during a late-night raid led by additional DCP (crime) Kiran Yadav. Four accused — Anil Singh, Abhishek Rajput (25), Dheeraj Singh (33) and Ramtirth (35), all from Hardoi — were arrested.Police seized 7,750 litres of petrol, 4,000 litres of diesel, 1,150 litres of adulterated petrol and 3,200 litres of industrial solvent. Equipment used for siphoning and adulteration was also seized.The ADCP told TOI that Anil had allegedly been running the racket for around six months. “Some more names have surfaced during the investigation and they are under the scanner,” Yadav said.According to investigators, Anil first cultivated friendship with tanker drivers who routinely stopped at his kiosk for tea, cigarettes and refreshments. After gaining their trust over several months, he allegedly pitched fuel theft as an easy way to earn extra money.Police said the drivers were promised commissions for every successful diversion of petrol or diesel. To allay fears of detection, Anil allegedly claimed he had access to solvents and chemicals that could compensate for the quantity siphoned from tankers.The operation initially involved stealing small quantities — as little as 5-6 litres from each tanker — to avoid raising suspicion. However, as the thefts went unnoticed, the volume of fuel siphoned allegedly increased steadily, transforming a small-scale operation into an organised network involving multiple participants with defined roles.A key breakthrough for the gang, investigators said, was the procurement of a duplicate master key capable of opening fuel tanker compartments. Police alleged that Anil obtained the key with the help of a truck driver. The duplicate key enabled the accused to access tanker compartments during transit, siphon fuel at designated locations and relock the tanks without immediately alerting transporters or fuel companies.The stolen fuel was then allegedly taken to a hideout where it was stored and mixed with industrial solvent to make up for the diverted quantity. The adulterated fuel was subsequently sold in the local market as genuine petrol and diesel, police said.
