MARGAO
The people had witnessed with their naked eye how gas was being transferred from a domestic cylinder into an empty commercial cylinder with a device, while and the intact seal was still dangling from a thread on the domestic cylinder.
Hindustan Petroleum Area Officer Vaibagh Bhagat, however, has told The Goan that an inquiry conducted by the civil supplies official and the company has revealed that the seal on the domestic cylinder was intact and that no pilferage of gas had taken place from any of the cylinders being transported to the Benaulim village.
"Our preliminary inquiry has revealed that the seal of all the domestic LPG cylinders being transported to Benaulim on June 6 were found all intact. There was also no pilferage of gas from any of the cylinders," Bhagat said.
When The Goan drew attention to the photographs by the media that the seal of the cylinder was hanging on the cylinder when the alleged pilferage was underway, Bhagat said "What we have ascertained is based on the preliminary inquiry. Let us wait for the final inquiry report."
Civil Supplies officials, who had dragged their feet for a week in lodging a police complaint, are also believed to have arrived at a conclusion that no gas pilferage has taken place from the domestic LPG cylinder. The officials are believed to have concluded that there was no tampering of the cylinder seal at the time of the incident.
The inquiry report may come as a rude shock and surprise to the residents of Benaulim since they had found the gas seal hanging on the cylinder when the alleged pilferage attempt was underway in the vehicle heading for delivery of the cylinders in Benaulim.
While the alleged LPG pilferage was alleged on July 6, the Civil Supplies inspector, Salcete had lodged the FIR only after a week on July 12. The Colva police had later registered an offence against the suspects under Sections 3 and 7 of the Consumer Act, but there's still no headway in the inquiry till date.
