Surat: Operators of around 8 petrol pumps in Surat have complained that their bank accounts are seized by police for cyber crime without their any involvement in any crime.

Thousands of people visit any petrol pump in Surat everyday. Many of the customers make payment digitally for fuel. Pump operators have through the Chamber of Commerce approached the Minister of State for Home, Harsh Sanghavi in written representation that their accounts are seized by police because their some customers allegedly committed cyber fraud and through the income generated through cyber fraud they purchased fuel at petrol pumps by making online payment, in many cases worth Rs. 200 and likewise.

Pump owners have demanded government to make a policy or guideline regarding freezing of third party accounts. Those who are not linked to cyber crime offense must not face freezing of bank account.

They have also demanded that police should seize only the amount involved in cyber crime offense, and not freeze the entire bank account.

Chamber of Commerce President Vijay Mewavala has in a letter to MoS Home stated that, while cyber crime department’s activeness is appreciable, there are growing number of cases in which innocent persons or commercial units face freezing of bank account without any involvement in crime. When someone makes a payment for fuel or any other item at the fuel station, the operator of fuel station is unaware about whether the payment is made from legitimately earned income or the income generated through crime. DeshGujarat