Fuel pump owner files complaint over alleged electronic chip fraud at his outlet
A petrol pump owner in Bengaluru has filed a police complaint after discovering electronic chips installed in fuel dispensers. The chips were allegedly used to cheat customers by dispensing less fuel than indicated, prompting an investigation into the mechanic and staff involved.
Why it matters
This highlights a significant consumer fraud issue in the fuel retail sector, impacting both public trust and the integrity of fuel dispensing infrastructure.
The Parappana Agrahara police have registered an FIR against unknown people for installing electronic chips in fuel dispensing machines at a petrol pump, resulting in alleged cheating of customers, the dealership, and the oil company.
According to a complaint lodged by the petrol pump owner, the outlet on Hosur Road has been operating under a valid licence since 2020. He stated that the fuel station follows the oil company’s mandatory daily five-litre fuel testing procedure for all dispensing units and that no discrepancies had ever been detected. Officials from the oil company and the Department of Legal Metrology had also conducted periodic inspections and had not previously reported any irregularities.
However, during the annual inspection conducted on July 24, a pump mechanic from the oil company reportedly suspected that an electronic chip had been installed inside one of the dispensing units.
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