Rajkot LPG racket busted: 517 cylinders seized, 7 arrested in Gujarat raids
Synopsis
Gujarat Police's State Monitoring Cell raided eight premises in a Rajkot residential neighbourhood and uncovered an alleged illegal LPG refilling operation complete with fake 'Reliance Gas' stickers — seizing 517 cylinders, three vehicles, and over ₹11 lakh worth of equipment. With two of the seven arrested accused carrying prior cases and 15 more still at large, this bust signals a persistent, organised network exploiting subsidised domestic gas supply.
Key Takeaways
Gujarat Police's SMC raided eight premises in the Nehrunagar area of Rajkot on 30 October 2026 .
517 LPG cylinders worth ₹9.29 lakh were seized; total seized property valued at ₹11,45,946 .
Seven people were arrested and 15 others named as wanted accused across two FIRs .
Fake 'Reliance Gas' stickers were found, indicating cylinders were being relabelled and sold as branded supply.
Two arrested accused — Meram Chavda and Ramesh Chavda — have prior records for similar offences in 2015 and 2021 respectively.
Charges include sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023 , the Essential Commodities Act , and the Explosives Act, 1884 .
Gujarat Police's State Monitoring Cell (SMC) dismantled an alleged illegal LPG gas-refilling operation in Rajkot on 30 October 2026, seizing 517 cylinders worth ₹9.29 lakh across eight premises in the Nehrunagar residential area. Seven people have been arrested and 15 others named as wanted accused in connection with the racket.
How the Operation Unfolded
Acting on directions from Director General of Police (DGP) G. S. Malik, two SMC teams led by Police Sub-Inspectors S. V. Galchar and V. N. Jadeja conducted simultaneous raids at godowns and houses on Streets 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 of Nehrunagar, falling under the jurisdiction of Bhaktinagar police station. The SMC cited the risk of accident and loss of life as a key reason for the operation, given that illegal refilling was allegedly being carried out inside densely populated residential premises.
Premises linked to arrested accused Ramesh Chavda, Meram Chavda, Hardev Chavda, Amit Dangar, and Ashish Gogara, as well as godowns associated with wanted accused Praful Dangar, Dhirubhai Dangar, and Umesh Boricha, were searched. Two godowns belonging to Dhirubhai Dangar were also covered in the sweep.
What Was Seized
Beyond the 517 LPG cylinders valued at ₹9,29,100, investigators recovered 16 refilling pipes with nozzles, 44 sticker sheets bearing the name 'Reliance Gas', 48 cylinder caps, five electric motors, 12 electronic weighing scales, two ordinary weighing scales, three vehicles, seven mobile phones, ₹9,170 in cash, and a spanner. The total estimated value of seized property stood at ₹11,45,946.
The stickers mimicking a branded gas agency name point to a broader deception: cylinders were allegedly being refilled, relabelled, and passed off as legitimate supply, potentially putting unsuspecting consumers at serious safety risk.
The Accused: Arrests and Wanted List
The seven arrested individuals include Hardev Chavda, Meram Chavda, and Ramesh Chavda, all residents of New Gopalvandana, Street No. 5, Rajkot; Rakesh Bishnoi of Chitbera, Jodhpur, Rajasthan; Purannath Kori of Shivshakti Forging on Dhebar Road, Rajkot; Amit Dangar of Nehrunagar Street No. 8; and Ashish Gogara of Nehrunagar Street No. 10.
Among the 15 wanted accused, several are linked to named gas agencies: Raju Solanki and Karan Lavadiya of Jaymin Gas Agency; Mangabhai of Madhuram Gas Agency; Arvind Nat of Jai Bhim Gas Agency; Hitesh Chavda of AGS Piyour Gas Agency; and Shailesh Chavda of Madhuram Gas Agency. The remainder — including Chandubhai Rathod, Jitendra Jariwala, Dhirubhai Raydhanbhai Dangar, Prafulbhai Naranbhai Dangar, Umeshbhai Prabhatbhai Boricha, Sanjaybhai Chavda, Sanjaybhai Rajput, Raj, and Tajuddin — are also being pursued.
Notably, two of the arrested accused have prior records: Meram Chavda was booked at Bhaktinagar police station in 2015, and Ramesh Gagubhai Chavda had cases registered at Aatkot and Dhoraji police stations in 2021. This is not an isolated incident but part of a pattern of repeat offending in the same geography.
Legal Charges
Two separate FIRs were registered at Bhaktinagar police station on 30 October against all 22 accused. The cases invoke Sections 125, 287 and 54 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023; Sections 3 and 7 of the Essential Commodities Act; and Section 9(B)(1)(B) of the Explosives Act, 1884 — the last underscoring the authorities' assessment of the hazard posed by unregulated gas handling in a residential zone.
The SMC has confirmed that further action against the named wanted accused is ongoing.
Point of View
Raising questions about why earlier action failed to disrupt the network. With 15 accused still at large — several linked to specific agencies — the real test for Gujarat Police will be whether those networks are dismantled or simply temporarily disrupted.
NationPress
30 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What illegal activity was busted in Rajkot by Gujarat Police?
Gujarat Police's State Monitoring Cell uncovered an alleged illegal LPG cylinder refilling operation in the Nehrunagar residential area of Rajkot on 30 October 2026. Operators were reportedly refilling domestic gas cylinders inside houses and godowns and relabelling them with fake 'Reliance Gas' stickers before redistribution.
How many people were arrested and what was seized in the Rajkot LPG raid?
Seven people were arrested and 15 others named as wanted accused. Police seized 517 LPG cylinders, 16 refilling pipes, 44 fake branded stickers, five electric motors, 12 electronic weighing scales, three vehicles, seven mobile phones, and cash — with total seized property estimated at ₹11,45,946.
What charges have been filed in the Rajkot LPG cylinder case?
Two FIRs were registered at Bhaktinagar police station on 30 October against all 22 accused. Charges invoke Sections 125, 287 and 54 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023, Sections 3 and 7 of the Essential Commodities Act, and Section 9(B)(1)(B) of the Explosives Act, 1884.
Which gas agencies are linked to the wanted accused in the Rajkot LPG case?
Several wanted accused are associated with named gas agencies: Jaymin Gas Agency, Madhuram Gas Agency, Jai Bhim Gas Agency, and AGS Piyour Gas Agency. Their alleged involvement suggests the racket may have had organised distribution links beyond the individual refilling sites.
Why is illegal LPG refilling considered dangerous?
Illegal refilling involves transferring gas between cylinders without safety checks, pressure gauges, or certified equipment — often inside residential buildings. This creates a serious risk of leaks, fires, and explosions, which is why the SMC cited the threat to life and property as a key reason for the raid.
