Kanpur: A petrol pump in Uttar Pradesh’s Kanpur has come under investigation after a customer was billed for filling 52 litres of petrol into a vehicle
with a maximum fuel tank capacity of 45 litres.
Charan Singh had recently taken delivery of a new Volkswagen Virtus. According to Singh, the car’s fuel gauge was showing nearly empty when he stopped at a local petrol station and asked attendants to fill the tank completely.
Singh claimed the attendants initially filled around 41 litres of petrol before abruptly stopping. When he questioned the interruption, they allegedly told him that larger quantities of fuel had to be dispensed in two stages.
The attendants then resumed the process and completed the refuelling.
However, Singh was shocked when he received the final bill, which showed that 52 litres of petrol had been dispensed into the vehicle.
The figure immediately raised concerns because the Volkswagen Virtus has a fuel tank capacity of 45 litres. Singh challenged the pump staff and argued that the tank could not physically accommodate the amount mentioned on the receipt.
Suspecting foul play, Singh called a representative from the vehicle manufacturer to the petrol station. The company official reportedly verified that the vehicle’s tank capacity was limited to 45 litres and could not hold the quantity shown on the bill.
Faced with the technical clarification, the petrol pump management allegedly failed to provide a satisfactory explanation for the discrepancy.
Singh has since filed a formal complaint, alleging that the incident points to a larger fraud involving fuel dispensing systems. He also accused local weights and measures officials of possible collusion.
Following the complaint, the district administration ordered an investigation and directed officials to inspect the petrol pump’s dispensing units to determine whether any tampering or irregularities had occurred.
