IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB & HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH Civil Writ Petition No.21038 of 2010 Date of Decision : November 29, 2010. Ashok Kumar .....Petitioner versus Union of India and others .....Respondents CORAM : HON'BLE MR.JUSTICE SURYA KANT. Present : Mr.Tajender K.Joshi, Advocate, for the petitioner. -.- 1. Whether Reporters of Local papers may be allowed to see the judgment? 2. To be referred to the Reporters or not? 3. Whether the judgment should be reported in the Digest? --- Surya Kant, J. (Oral) The petitioner seeks a mandamus to direct the Indian Oil Corporation, C.B.I. and the Director General of Police, Punjab, to investigate the racket of fake gas connections and selling of the gas cylinders in black market, allegedly by respondent No.5 who is the proprietor of M/s Sangat Gas Agency, Sangat Mandi, District Bathinda. It is alleged that respondent No.5 has released fictitious and bogus gas connections including in the names of dead persons in order to indulge in black marketting of the gas cylinders. He is allegedly creating artificial scarcity of the gas cylinders thereby causing immense hardship to the bonafide consumers like the petitioner. It is also alleged that though an FIR No.150 dated 16.12.2009 under Sections 420 IPC and 7 of the C.W.P.No .21038 of 2010 2 Essential Commodities Act, has already been registered at Police Station Sangat, District Bathinda against two persons who were found indulging in the black marketing of the gas cylinders yet the investigation of the case is going at a snail's speed only. The petitioner also made complaint(s) to the Authorities in this regard but no action in this matter is said to have been taken so far. Having heard learned counsel for the petitioner, however, without expressing any views on the allegations made, moreso when the respondents have not been called upon and heard at this stage but keeping in view the fact that the allegations pertain to one of the public utility services, I deem it appropriate to dispose of this writ petition with a direction to the Regional General Manager of the Indian Oil Corporation to immediately deploy a team of its Vigilance Cell to hold a fact finding enquiry and take action against those who are found guilty of releasing the fictitious gas connections and/or black marketing the gas cylinders. In addition, the Director General of Police, Punjab, is directed to expedite the investigation of the FIR No.150 dated 16.12.2009 registered at Police Station Sangat, District Bathinda, preferably by entrusting the same to a senior police officer so as to take it to some logical conclusion, as early as possible but not later than two months from the date of receiving a certified copy of this order. Ordered accordingly. Dasti. November 29, 2010 (SURYA KANT) Mohinder JUDGE