In a major breakthrough, the Mahasamund police have arrested the absconding owner and director of Thakur Petrochemicals from Kolhapur, Maharashtra, in connection with the ₹1.5 crore LPG scam. The accused, identified as Santosh Singh Thakur and his son Sarthak Singh Thakur, had been evading arrest for over a month by frequently changing locations and shifting SIM cards.

A local court has remanded the duo to police custody after they were brought back to Chhattisgarh on a transit warrant. Investigating officials confirmed that the latest arrests bring the total number of individuals held in the case to six, with more high-profile arrests expected as the investigation reaches its final stages.

Multi-State Police Hunt Ends in Kolhapur

The father-son duo had managed to stay ahead of law enforcement by moving across multiple states. According to local police, tracking the fugitives required extensive technical surveillance. Cyber cells analyzed tower dump data across 11 cities, scrutinized call detail records (CDRs), and tracked vehicle movements at toll plazas and financial transactions.

Based on a definitive digital trail, four dedicated police teams were dispatched to different states. The breakthrough came when a team located and arrested the suspects from a hotel room in Kolhapur.

Suspended Food Officer Masterminded the Plot

The investigation reveals a deep-rooted nexus involving bureaucrats and local businessmen. Police sources stated that the entire operation was masterminded by the suspended Mahasamund District Food Officer, Ajay Yadav. Investigations indicate that Yadav utilized his official position to orchestrate the diversion of seized government property.

Pankaj Chandrakar, a local gas agency operator and political worker, allegedly acted as the primary coordinator, establishing links with buyers. Another businessman, Manish Choudhary, served as the mediator to negotiate financial terms between the various parties involved.

Seized Gas Disposed of via Fake Documents

The origin of the scam dates back to an enforcement action in the Singhoda police station area, where the Saraypali Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) caught six capsule trucks red-handed while gas was being pilfered from them. For safety reasons, the tankers were initially parked inside the Singhoda police station premises.

Subsequently, the administration handed over the safe custody of these tankers to the Food Department. Investigators revealed that Ajay Yadav used this opportunity to transfer the responsibility of securing the gas capsules to Thakur Petrochemicals’ facility in Urla, Abhanpur. Once the tankers reached the private facility, approximately 92 metric tonnes of LPG was illegally offloaded and sold in the open market using forged documents and cash memos to evade GST.

Financial Footprints and Profit Distribution

The police have established a clear paper trail regarding the illicit transactions, which total around ₹80 lakh out of an estimated market value of ₹1.5 crore. The initial demand by the perpetrators was ₹1.30 crore, but the deal was eventually struck at ₹90 lakh after week-long negotiations.

"The distribution of the scam proceeds was highly organized," an official privy to the probe stated. "Out of the collected amount, suspended officer Ajay Yadav received a lion's share of ₹50 lakh. Agency operator Pankaj Chandrakar took ₹20 lakh, while mediator Manish Choudhary received ₹10 lakh."

Further disclosures indicated that the physical exchange of cash took place at Chandrakar’s factory, 'Aastha Trolley', located in Paraswani village. Investigators are also looking into claims that certain food department officials accompanied Chandrakar in private vehicles during the execution of the logistics.

Facing Severe Criminal Charges

To give the illegal offloading a semblance of legitimacy, the accused prepared a fraudulent panchnama (site memo) at the Food Department office, naming co-conspirators as independent witnesses.

The Mahasamund police have registered a case under multiple stringent sections of the Indian Penal Code, including criminal breach of trust, conspiracy, forgery, black marketing, and misappropriation of government property. The police are now planning a joint interrogation, confronting the freshly arrested owners of Thakur Petrochemicals with the already detained mastermind Ajay Yadav, manager Nikhil Vaishnav, and other intermediaries to unearth the full extent of the institutional fraud.

The Chhattisgarh LPG scam involving alleged theft and illegal sale of gas worth nearly ₹1.5 crore in Mahasamund district has triggered a major crackdown by police authorities. The investigation has intensified after the arrest of District Food Officer Ajay Yadav, who is now on a three-day remand for detailed questioning. According to officials, the case involves systematic siphoning of LPG from sealed tankers, forged documentation and a coordinated financial network involving officials, agency operators and traders.

Arrest and Remand

Police have identified Ajay Yadav as a key accused in the Chhattisgarh LPG scam, alleging his role as a central planner in the illegal diversion of government-seized gas. He has been booked under charges of criminal conspiracy, fraud, document forgery and causing financial loss to the state exchequer.

Investigators said around 92 tonnes of LPG was allegedly diverted and sold illegally, generating transactions worth nearly ₹80 lakh. Yadav, along with co-accused agency operator Pankaj Chandrakar and trader Manish Choudhary, was produced in court earlier this week.

Money Trail Exposed

The financial investigation has revealed a structured distribution of proceeds in the Chhattisgarh LPG scam. Police sources indicate that out of the illegal earnings, nearly ₹50 lakh is linked to Ajay Yadav, ₹20 lakh to Pankaj Chandrakar and ₹10 lakh to Manish Choudhary.

However, officials have admitted that large portions of the alleged cash remain untraced. Authorities are now examining bank records, property investments and business expansions to trace the remaining money flow.

CCTV Evidence Found

One of the strongest breakthroughs in the Chhattisgarh LPG scam is the recovery of CCTV footage showing meetings between the accused. Police have obtained visuals from a roadside dhaba where Ajay Yadav, Pankaj Chandrakar and Manish Choudhary allegedly held a late-night planning session. Another footage captured their inspection of gas capsules at a police station yard. Investigators believe these meetings played a crucial role in finalising the illegal transfer and sale strategy.

Raid and Seizures

Multiple raids conducted in connection with the Chhattisgarh LPG scam have led to the recovery of documents and consumer goods purchased using suspected illegal funds. However, no major cash recovery has been made so far.

Officials said electronic devices, financial records and agency documents are being analysed. Authorities also raided residences linked to the accused, where they recovered purchase records of appliances and limited cash transactions.

Gas Theft Operation

The core of the Chhattisgarh LPG scam lies in the alleged diversion of LPG from sealed tankers originally seized in December 2025. Police said around six gas capsules containing over 100 metric tonnes were initially secured by authorities.

Investigators claim that after a coordinated meeting in March 2026, the accused devised a plan to siphon gas during custody delays. Over the next few days, nearly 92 tonnes of LPG was allegedly emptied and transferred to private networks. Officials further said that delayed weighing of cylinders and lack of immediate inspection helped facilitate the large-scale theft.

Fake Billing Pattern

Documents seized during the Chhattisgarh LPG scam investigation indicate serious irregularities in billing records. While official records show purchase of around 47 tonnes of LPG, sales of over 107 tonnes were recorded in the same period. This mismatch has raised suspicions of illegal supply chains and unaccounted distribution. Authorities also found that several transactions were conducted without proper invoices, indicating a parallel cash-based system.

Probe Expansion

The Chhattisgarh LPG scam probe has now expanded beyond the three main accused. Police are examining the role of associates, relatives and business partners linked to property purchases and financial transactions since late 2025.

Officials indicated that further arrests and departmental actions are likely as the investigation progresses. CCTV footage, digital records and call data analysis are being used to map the wider network. Authorities have not ruled out action against additional officials if evidence confirms deeper administrative involvement.

What Next in Probe

The investigation team is now focusing on tracing the remaining illegal proceeds and identifying the full supply chain involved in the Chhattisgarh LPG scam. Agencies are also verifying whether similar irregularities occurred in other districts. According to police officials, further forensic analysis and financial audits will determine the scale of the operation and accountability of each accused.

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In a major public interest development, the district administration has found serious irregularities in two LPG distributors in Bhopal, raising the possibility of FIR action. The Food and Civil Supplies Department has submitted its report to the Additional District Magistrate (ADM) after completing a detailed investigation into complaints of supply manipulation and consumer fraud.

Officials confirmed that large-scale discrepancies in stock, billing, and delivery processes were detected, pointing to systemic violations at the agency level.

Stock Mismatch Exposed

The investigation revealed significant stock discrepancies at both agencies. At one distributor, hundreds of domestic and commercial cylinders were unaccounted for, along with nearly 2,000 small-sized cylinders. Another agency also reported missing filled cylinders and irregularities in commercial stock records.

According to officials, these mismatches indicate diversion of LPG cylinders outside the authorised distribution system.

Fake Delivery Complaints

One of the most serious findings relates to fake delivery confirmations. Consumers who had booked cylinders online reportedly received delivery confirmation messages without actually receiving the cylinders.

Officials said that delivery personnel allegedly diverted these cylinders and sold them elsewhere at higher rates. The agencies, when questioned, claimed customers were unavailable at home, but the explanation did not hold during verification.

Illegal Charges Collected

The report also highlighted illegal financial practices. Consumers were charged full home delivery rates even when they collected cylinders directly from distribution points. In several cases, mandatory inspection charges were collected without conducting any inspection at the consumer’s premises.

Preliminary estimates suggest that lakhs of rupees were collected through such practices over a short period, indicating a structured pattern of overcharging.

Operational Irregularities Noted

The probe found that LPG transport and delivery operations were also compromised. Vehicles listed by the agencies were fewer in number on the ground, raising questions about actual delivery capacity.

Further, delays in tanker arrivals and unexplained stoppages during transit have been flagged as suspicious. Officials suspect that cylinders may have been offloaded en route for unauthorised sale.

Ownership Under Scrutiny

The investigation also brought ownership details under scrutiny. One of the agencies is reportedly linked to a retired official from the Food Department and his relatives. While no direct conclusions have been drawn yet, officials indicated that this aspect will be examined further as part of administrative action.

Sources said around 10 to 12 related cases, including illegal transport and refilling activities, have also been documented and submitted to the ADM. 

Action Likely Soon

Based on the findings, authorities are preparing for strict action, including filing FIRs, imposing penalties, and recommending cancellation of licences. The ADM is expected to forward proposals to the concerned oil companies after approval from the district collector.

Officials stated that such violations not only disrupt supply chains but also directly impact consumers, making it a serious governance issue under ongoing Government Updates and regulatory enforcement efforts.

Public Impact Evident

The case highlights growing concerns over transparency in LPG distribution systems. Consumers were left waiting despite confirmed bookings, affecting daily life and raising trust issues.

What Lies Ahead

Authorities are expected to take a final call on punitive measures soon. The administration may also widen the investigation to include other distributors and logistics networks in the city.

As Bhopal gas agency irregularities continue to unfold, officials emphasise that strict enforcement will remain key to restoring consumer confidence and preventing similar violations in the future.