Expressing surprise over the multi-crore scam, the Court questioned, since the scam involves nine states and crores of rupees, why not the same be transferred to an independent investigating agency like the CBI. At present the case is being investigated by the Chandigarh Police Operations Cell.

The directions were passed today by the High Court during ongoing anticipatory bail applications of six accused in the case.

The accused involved in the multi-crore scam used chemicals like pentane, solvent, naphtha and MFO for mixing in petrol and another chemical named RPO, which is mixed in diesel and base oil, used for adulterating mobile oil.

The gang’s job was to procure solvent, naphtha, pentane and MGO, which are used by paint and other chemical industries, from GAIL and other private importers and then sell it in black market to petrol dealers all over the country for adulteration of petrol.

The accused executed the task by opening fake firms with the help of fake bills/ accounts, fake transport receipts to show the end use and use of fake ‘C’ forms for evasion of government taxes.

In one financial year, a total of 8,000 tons of solvent and other chemicals valued at about Rs 32 crore were procured by the firms floated by accused, causing loss to the state exchequer and cheating the general public by selling chemicals for adulteration of petrol.

Involving more than 40 companies, the scam was busted by the Chandigarh Police Operations Cell in November last year. Satbir Sharma and Harish Kumar Mahendru, two prime accused in the scam, had started their operation by opening a company, Maha Luxmi Chemicals, at Una in Himachal Pradesh. They had expanded their network by opening companies in Mansa and Sangrur districts of Punjab.

Another accused Satbir Sharma was running a courier company in Trinagar, New Delhi, till 2001 and was also working as an agent of petro chemical products.

In 2002, he started a firm in the name of ST Petrochem at Indore and started procuring solvent and other chemicals from private importers like BGH, ADANI and CRANE Energy.

In connivance with the other accused, he also opened a fake firm Mahavir Enterprises at Manimajra, Chandigarh, in the name of one of his employees Mahavir Prasad of Tri Nagar, New Delhi.