Rs 1.5-Crore LPG Heist in Mahasamund: 90 MT Gas Stolen After Seizure; FIR Lodged

Police have booked the owner and director of Thakur Petrochemicals for allegedly siphoning off 90 metric tonnes of seized LPG gas and selling it illegally.

In a massive scandal involving the misappropriation of government-seized property, the Mahasamund police have unearthed an LPG theft racket worth an estimated Rs 1.5 crore. The case involves the owner and director of Thakur Petrochemicals, who allegedly emptied six seized gas capsules—originally handed over to them for safe custody—and sold the fuel in the black market through domestic and commercial cylinders.

The fraud came to light after the accused attempted to mislead the district administration by claiming the gas had "leaked" from the containers. However, a technical investigation revealed a calculated heist, leading to the registration of an FIR at Singhoda police station.

Seizure of 90 MT LPG

The matter dates back to December 2025, when Singhoda police intercepted six LPG gas capsules. Due to a lack of valid legal documentation, the vehicles, carrying a combined load of 90 metric tonnes of LPG, were impounded. Concerned about the safety hazard of parked gas tankers inside the police station premises, the police moved the District Collector to shift the vehicles to a secure facility.

Following the Collector’s directive, the Food Department contacted Santosh Singh Thakur, owner of Thakur Petrochemicals. On March 30, 2026, the six tankers were officially handed over to the company for safekeeping at its plant in Urla, Abhanpur, located roughly 200 kilometers from the police station.

Elaborate Siphoning Operation

Sources familiar with the matter said the company management exploited a critical lapse: the tankers were not weighed at the time of handover. Taking advantage of this, Santosh Singh Thakur and Director Sakin Thakur allegedly moved the trucks to their plant but delayed official weighing for over a week.

Between April 6 and April 8, while the tankers were parked near the plant, the gas was systematically transferred into the company’s bullet tanks. "When their storage reached capacity, they reportedly filled the remaining gas into private tankers and cylinders, selling it to various agencies in Raipur using 'kaccha' (unofficial) bills," an official involved in the probe confirmed.

Technical Experts Debunk Leakage

To cover their tracks, the accused reported to the administration that the LPG had leaked out. However, the police roped in national-level experts to verify the claim. The investigation concluded that it is physically impossible for 20 tonnes of gas to leak from a single capsule over three months without causing a major explosion or fire. The experts noted that the capsules were structurally sound, pointing directly to manual extraction.

Financial Discrepancies Surface

The paper trail further nailed the suspects. A three-day audit of company records revealed that in April, Thakur Petrochemicals officially purchased only 47 tonnes of LPG but recorded sales of 107 tonnes. "The math didn't add up. They were selling nearly 60 tonnes of gas that never existed on their purchase registers," said a senior police officer. Investigators also found that the "unofficial" registers for April had been destroyed or hidden to vanish the evidence of illegal transactions.

Raids and Arrests

Mahasamund police have since conducted raids at the facility, seizing seven LPG tankers, four large bullet tanks, 100 cylinders, and digital evidence including DVRs and computers. While the main accused, Santosh Singh Thakur and the director, remain at large, the police have arrested one staff member, identified as Nikhil Vaishnav (41).

Teams have been dispatched to track down the fleeing management. The police are also looking into the role of the agencies that purchased the stolen gas without valid invoices.