High Court dismisses bail plea in illegal gas transfer case

CHENNAI: Pointing out that illegal transfer of liquefied petroleum gas from domestic cylinders to commercial cylinders not only causes loss to  government but also deprives the poor from getting their gas subsidy, the Madras high court has refused to grant anticipatory bail to a person who apprehended arrest in connection with a case relating to illegal transfer of LPG from domestic cylinders to commercial cylinders in Salem district.

Dismissing the anticipatory bail petition filed by M.Palanisamy, Justice S.Vaidyanathan said, "The major concern in these cases is the lives of people in and around the place where such offence takes place. While transferring gas from one cylinder to another, safety measures are usually taken. In the case of illegal transfer of gas, there is no question of safety at all, as the aim of illegal transfer is only to make money".

The prosecution case was that on May 27, 2016, when police went for raid at Paraivattam, Vedukathampatti village, Thirumalagiri, Salem district, they found one Manikandan precariously transferring LPG from domestic cylinders to commercial cylinders and ascertained that domestic gas given in subsidy was converted for commercial purpose without permission from authorities. Further, on secret information, on May 29, when police raided a house at  Lakshmi Nagar, Panangkadu, Andipatti Village, Salem, they found 37 domestic LPG cylinders inside the house. On enquiry in the locality, they ascertained that one Palanisamy was occupying the said house on rental basis.

The judge said though the petitioner pleads innocence of the offence alleged against him, it was the strong case of prosecution that the petitioner had illegally transferred LPG from domestic cylinders to commercial cylinders by using locally made electric motor devices. It was seen from the counter that the accused Manikandan had voluntarily confessed he was working as a labourer under petitioner  Palanisamy. As per the instruction of the petitioner, Manikandan used to receive subsidised LPG domestic cylinders from three delivery persons of different gas agencies and return empty domestic cylinders to delivery persons of their respective gas  companies.

As instructed by petitioner, he used to transfer gas from domestic cylinders to commercial cylinders using local made electric device and instantaneously measured the weight of cylinders using digital weighing machine. On the basis of his confession, the police seized 96 cylinders, two gas filling machines and weighing machines.