Kavre, June 20

District Court, Kavre ordered Rs 1,000 fine along with six months jail term against various petrol pump owners of the district for their involvement in cheating customers.

The court issued the order against Ugrachandi Oil Stores operator Atmaram Thapa. He was arrested during the fuel crisis a few months ago.

Earlier, the District Court had given the same verdict for Binod Banjara, operator of Jaya Ambe Oil Stores, in Panauti. The order was issued by a single bench of district judge Abani Mainali in both cases.

Both Thapa and Banjara have served their jail term and paid the fine.

Police said the duo had cheated customers through double remote control system while dispensing fuel from their pumps.

Police had initiated action against Thapa through the Office of the District Attorney after he was found to have cheated customers of Rs 3.97 million through double remote and double gear system.

Similarly, the court has ordered six-month jail term for Umesh Baniya, of Ugrachandi Oil Stores. Baniya had been absconding after a case was filed against him.

Kavre Police said two other pump operators Thakur Bajgain of Mata Ugrachandi Oil Store, and Ghanashyam Khatri of Narayan Oil Stores, were also at large.

The court had also issued six months’ jail term and a fine of Rs 1,000 against Basanta Krishna Poudel of Panchkhal Oil Stores and Rajendra Prasad Ghimire of Mata Palanchowk Oil Stores on the charge of cheating consumers.