Amid commercial cylinder restrictions, the Hyderabad Commissioner's Task Force, Secunderabad Zone Team, along with Gandhi Nagar Police, apprehended three persons for illegally selling commercial gas cylinders at high rates.
The arrested individuals include gas delivery agents Yalam Parthip Kumar and Jallela Mallesh, alongside driver and mediator Mora Nagarjuna Arjun. Police seized 129 gas cylinders, a heavy vehicle, mobile phones, and Rs 26,700 in cash, with the total haul worth Rs 7.5 lakh. The seized stock comprised 25 full and 104 empty cylinders. According to police, Parthip and Mallesh worked as delivery boys for Bhargavi Agency. Due to high market demand, they hatched a plan with Nagarjuna for unlawful financial gain without the owner's knowledge.
Gaikwad Vaibhav Raghunath, DCP Task Force, stated that the agents handed over full cylinders to Nagarjuna at prices between Rs 3,500 and Rs 3,800, exceeding the original price of Rs 3,337. Nagarjuna then sold these to needy customers, including local restaurants and tiffin centres, for Rs 5,000 per cylinder.
This operation exploited the public for wrongful gain by bypassing legal distribution channels. Necessary legal action has been initiated against the trio as authorities intensify their crackdown on black marketing activities across the city.
The police remain vigilant to ensure that essential commodities are sold only through authorised agencies at government-approved rates. This successful raid highlights the ongoing commitment of the Commissioner's Task Force to protect consumers and maintain market integrity against unscrupulous individuals seeking easy profit.