Pics: Spoorthi Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (MD)

Mangaluru, May 13: Prakash, a dealer of HPCL petrol bunk in Mudigere, on Wednesday May 13 sat on dharna with his wife and two children along with two other family members in front of Hindustan Petroleum Company Limited (HPCL) office at Urwa Stores here, alleging that he was being wrong accused and punished for an act done by a colleague and demanding justice. He even pleaded for euthanasia (mercy killing) saying that he had no other go.

Speaking to daijiworld, Prakash narrated his ordeal and said, "In 2007 I became dealer of HPCL petrol bunk in Mudigere (Chikkamagaluru). This business option was given by the Indian government specially for the empowerment of SC/ST communities. But here the officials are discriminating against people like us. These officials introduced me to a person named Dasharath who has connections with politicians and assigned him to our community's petrol bunk business.

"The KSRTC buses used to fill their tanks at my petrol bunk and had an outstanding amount of Rs 25 lac. This amount was paid to Dasharath by KSRTC, but instead of handing it over to HPCL, he absconding with the money. Now the blame has come on me and HPCL has shut down the petrol bunk," Prakash alleged.

"Company officials often assign innominate persons to run their business, and this is happening with all the oil companies and not just HPCL. Prakash had been assigned as an innominate to run this HPCL petrol bunk in Mudigere. Now I am being trapped. Transactions amounting to almost Rs 1.6 crore were done in Dasharath's name and all the money went into his account," he claimed.

"This matter has to be investigated by the cyber branch, only then the truth will be out. Mobile phones and computers of all the officials should be examined. The petrol bunk has remained closed since November 27, 2013, and till now, even after two years, the officials are not opening their mouths, even in front of the police.

"We do not have any other source of income. These officials have not given any letter directly accusing me of defrauding Rs 25 lac, but instead they are punishing me for small issues like not keeping the toilets clean, not having telephone and so on. They have also said that till I pay Rs 25 lac, they will not resume the petrol bunk operations," he said.

"The officials are giving warnings that they will auction my house for not paying the BSNL telephone bill of Rs 100. This is against the Constitution. Rs 25 lac paid by KSRTC belongs to the government of India and instead of filing complaint against Dasharath and getting him arrested, these officials are threatening me. There is no proof for that the money was given to me," he said.

"As per the norms set by the government of India, the SC/ST community people cannot engage in any other business when they are already into a particular business. We cannot travel to other places by leaving the petrol bunk. If this is the case then what are we supposed to eat? In the sales inspection report Dasharath's sign is there and not mine. When Dasharath was made as a partner with me, he started getting all the information from HPCL and a few days later Dasharath began handling all the business. There is a minister's hand in SC/ST dealership schemes," Prakash alleged.

"I have received threat call also. After lodging a complaint on January 1, 2014 regarding the threat calls, I got called investigation and on the 28th of the same month, I received one more threat call from underworld don Ravi Poojary warning that he would kill all my family members. When the investigation is going on, HPCL officials put pressure on the police department and then police say that the call was made from a coin phone," he claimed.

"My only wish is to have my petrol bunk re-opened. I should not be punished for no reason. Those who committed mistakes should be punished. I am ready to face the punishment if I have done any crime. I do not have any link with Dasharath. He is the son of a former housing board president," he said.

"Dasharath was an innominate assigned to look after the petrol bunk when I was the dealer. HPCL said that I did not have the required funds and to fulfill this necessity, they introduced Dasharath. Later they sidelined me and made him as the main person at the petrol bunk. He is having the money (Rs 25 lac) and I am being blackmailed. From two years HPCL has not put any money into my account and everything is deposited into Dasharath's account. HPCL should hand over Dasharath to the police. HPCL officials will go to jail for bringing in an innominate from another caste into our community business. There is an option to request for another person to join hands in the business if I cannot continue. HPCL officials made me write a request letter in this regard, and after giving the letter, there was no communication from them," he said.

Pleading for euthanasia, Prakash said, "There are two rules to follow when taking up dealership under SC/ST norms - we cannot do any other business, and second, we cannot go anywhere else leaving the business behind. I am suffering for no fault of mine.
What am I supposed to do? That is why my family and I are sitting in front of the HPCL Mangaluru retail regional office. So far I have approached all the HPCL officials and even the police. If I had Rs 25 lacs why would I sit on the footpath? There is no meeting held between me and the officials. HPCL has never filed any complaint against me for not paying the money for two years. I do not understand what is happening here," a helpless Prakash said.

Attempts to reach HPCL officials for a response did not bear any result.