Zeenews Bureau
Delhi: Taking serious note of the issue of oil black marketing after the gruesome killing of Yashwant Sonawane, Petroleum Minister Jaipal Reddy on Thursday asked the Maharashtra government to take stringent steps against all the guilty and ensure proper punishment.
“We condemn the gruesome incident. We believed the officer died a heroic death. He was fighting for a noble cause,” the Union Minister said.
Commenting on the issue of booming adulteration business, Jaipal Reddy said, “This incident has once again highlighted the problem of adulteration. Therefore there is a need to respond to the particular problem in systemic stance.”
The oil companies have decided to pay Rs 25 lakhs gratia relief to Sonawane’s family.
Earlier, Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan had also announced a compensation of Rs 25 lakh for Sonawane's family, besides full salary till the date of his retirement, government job for one dependent, educational expenses of his children till they complete their graduation, and also a house.
Chavan assured, "Nobody will be spared. The accused have been arrested. My government has taken serious note of the ghastly incident and we will go into the root of the anti-social activities of sand and oil mafia and adulteration."
Sonawane, 44, was doused with kerosene and burnt alive in Panewadi, near Manmad in Nashik district Tuesday, when he went to conduct a raid on the local oil mafia for pilferage from kerosene tankers.
First Published: Thursday, January 27, 2011, 16:17