Police seize 62 LPG cylinders, arrest 1 in Jamia Nagar racket

New Delhi: Delhi Police have arrested a 28-year-old man for allegedly running an illegal trade in LPG cylinders in the Jamia Nagar area, recovering 62 cylinders from his possession, officials said.

Acting on a tip-off received at Jamia Nagar Police Station, a police team apprehended the accused, identified as Shahnawaz, a resident of Joga Bai Extension, during routine patrolling on March 16.

Police said 62 LPG cylinders — 48 filled and 14 empty — were recovered from a Tata Ace vehicle being used to transport and sell the cylinders illegally in the locality. The accused was unable to produce any valid licence or authorisation for the sale or transportation of LPG cylinders, prompting a detailed inspection.

During preliminary enquiry, it was found that Shahnawaz had been supplying LPG cylinders to local residents without issuing receipts, allegedly to maximise profits. Officials said the activity not only violated provisions of the Essential Commodities Act, 1955, but also posed a significant risk to public safety.

A case has been registered under relevant sections of the Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, and the accused has been taken into custody.

During interrogation, Shahnawaz disclosed that he sourced the cylinders with the help of an associate, Mukesh, who is currently absconding. The cylinders were allegedly procured from near an Indane gas agency in Laliyani village in Meerut and transported to Delhi via a pickup vehicle before being loaded into the seized Tata Ace. Police said the accused had brought around 70 cylinders from Uttar Pradesh a day before his arrest and sold them at inflated prices. Efforts are underway to trace the co-accused and probe the wider supply chain.