Aurangabad: Amidst action against fuel stations by police, raising serious doubts over their accountability and functioning, the dealers ' association has maintained that it had no idea about the wrongdoings. "We had no idea that few of our registered members have been indulging in such shameful practices. We also came to know about it after police exposed them," Ali Daruwala, spokesperson of All India Petrol Dealers' Association told TOI on Monday.He added that any tampering with the metering units of fuel outlets can draw serious consequences to the extent of termination of dealership. "We are not here to shield anybody who loot public. We demand sternest possible action against the offenders," Daruwala said.The association also said that number of errant pumps involved in short-fueling is very less. "We have over 55,000 registered members across the state and those involved in malpractices are not even 1%. Some dealers get influenced by miscreants and are misled to do this dreaded act. This has brought disgrace to the association and dealers who do their work honestly," Daruwala said.Welcoming the ongoing raids by police on fuel outlets that could have tampered with the vending machines, the association condemned the act of short-fueling and complimented the police for massive crackdown.Civic activists, however, expressed discontent over meek explanation of dealers association. "It is nothing but a multi-crore scam, which has burnt holes in the pockets of consumers. Needless to say, such serious wrongdoings cannot happen without the connivance of top authorities from oil companies or the government. The Centre should order a high-level inquiry," said a civic activist Ram Baheti.Sharad Advant, general secretary of advocacy group Marathwada Janta Vikas Parishad, termed the crime on the part fuel outlets as robbery."It is shocking to see how fuel outlets were short-fueling without causing an iota of doubt. The modus operandi has left customers at large red-faced who feel cheated and deceived. It will be hard now for oil companies and dealers' association to instill confidence about honest dealings at fuel stations," he said.

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