Weighing scale racket in Bengaluru busted by Kamakshipalya police

Following a complaint filed by a 27-year-old private firm employee about a weighing scale manipulation in one of the scrap shops, the Kamakshipalya police have conducted raids on a few shops in their jurisdiction and arrested 17 shopkeepers, including fair price shops, scrap shops and meat stalls.

According to police, the accused had installed Printing Circuit Board (PCB) chips in the weighing machines and used them to cheat their customers.

Ganesh, 27, a resident of Maruthinagar had gone to sell old newspapers to Vigneshwara Old Paper Mart Maruthinagara in Kamakshipalya on March 9. Before going he had weighed the papers in a shop near his house and it was around 40 kg. He noticed the shopkeeper Vinesh was using a remote to adjust the meter reading. When he was questioned he increased the weight to 39.5 kg. Ganesh and Vinesh got into an argument over the issue. Ganesh returned home with the papers and filed a complaint with the police.

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The arrested have been identified as Somashekhar, 33, Naveen Kumar, 30, Vinesh Patel, 22, Rajesh Kumar, 43, Vyatarayam, 38, Meghanadham, 38, Lokesh K, 39, Lokesh S, 24, Gangadhar, 32, Anantaiah, 44, Ranganath, 38, Shivanna, 51, Sanaullah, 65, Vishwanath, 54, Mohammed Ishaq, 30, Chandrashekhar, 41, and Madhusudhan, 24.

According to police, Somashekar and Naveen had worked as technicians on a contract basis in the Legal Metrology Department. They knew how to manipulate the scales using PCB, remote sensors and other buttons. They mastered the art by watching videos on the internet.

A case has been registered against the accused persons under cheating, forgery and the Legal Metrology Act and further investigation is on.