A sting operation conducted by Hindi daily Dainik Bhaskar has revealed alleged black marketing of commercial LPG cylinders in Bhopal during the supply crunch going on across different parts of the country. The investigation by the newspaper captured gas agency operators, employees and brokers demanding sharply inflated prices for cylinders and openly acknowledging that the shortage has become an opportunity to make money.
The sting was carried out after supply of commercial gas cylinders was officially halted for the past two days following middle east tensions. According to the report, several distributors were allegedly selling cylinders at prices far higher than the usual rate.
During the investigation, reporters from the Hindi newspaper approached distributors using a wedding card as a pretext, claiming that cylinders were urgently required for a wedding function. Based on this, they contacted multiple gas cylinder distributors, agents and private suppliers across the city. Many agreed to supply cylinders the next day despite the reported restrictions.
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The newspaper also shared a video of an interaction that took place at a Bharat Gas agency in Barkheda Pathani run by Navdeep Singh Bagga. According to Dainik Bhaskar, Bagga told the reporter, “Yesterday's matter ended yesterday, if you want a cylinder today it will cost 4,000. If you take it tomorrow, it will become 5,000.”
While calculating the cost, he added, “If you need four cylinders, it will cost Rs 16,000 at Rs 4,000 each. You only have two empty Bharat Gas cylinders, so you'll have to deposit another Rs 5,000 at Rs 2,500 each. Deposit a total of Rs 21,000 and you'll get the cylinders.”
When the reporter mentioned that an employee had earlier quoted a lower price, Bagga's father, PS Bagga, reportedly said that “yesterday's dead were buried yesterday,” and that he had instructed the warehouse staff not to sell cylinders for less than Rs 4,000.
Sting operation shows black marketing in action. 4000 rupees for a cylinder. Agency owner says ‘this is the time to make a quick buck' . Via @DainikBhaskar pic.twitter.com/FjjEspiDf7
— Padmaja Joshi (@PadmajaJoshi) March 13, 2026
The report added that they had earlier contacted Mayur Gupta, an employee of Vineet Gas Agency. On the night of March 10, Gupta reportedly quoted a price of Rs 3,000 per cylinder and asked the reporter to come to Awadhpuri Ground the next day.
When the reporter contacted him again the following morning, he increased the price to Rs 3,300 and asked the reporter to bring an empty cylinder.
At the warehouse, employees later told the reporter that the price had gone up further and that the cylinders would now be sold only at Rs 4,000 as instructed by the owners, the report added.
According to the report, the reporters also approached Saksham Dwivedi, a supplier linked to a private gas agency called Gas Point. When contacted on March 10, he quoted Rs 3,200 per cylinder and asked the reporter to reach out the next day.
When contacted again, Dwivedi initially said cylinders were unavailable but later asked the reporter to meet near ISBT Bus Stand. During the conversation he said that he had to prioritise regular customers before supplying to others. When the reporter mentioned that shopkeepers were receiving cylinders for Rs 1,900, Dwivedi denied the claim and said such a price was not possible.
He also showed a bill indicating that two cylinders had been sold for Rs 6,700. When questioned about restrictions on supply, Dwivedi stated that their company was private and that their supply came from Indore, so it had not been affected.
“We are a private company, supply comes from Indore, why would our supply stop? Right now you must be seeing our cylinders everywhere, this is our time to earn,” Dwivedi was quoted as saying by Dainik Bhaskar.
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The sting operation also found that brokers were involved in arranging cylinders. One such broker identified as Arpit Sahu claimed he could arrange cylinders from several agencies across the city.
During the conversation, Sahu told the reporter that the price would not be lower than Rs 3,500 and that he was selling cylinders for around Rs 4,000. When asked to reduce the price, he replied that he depended on this work for his livelihood and could not lower the rate.
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He further said that agencies were not supplying cylinders to unknown customers and that he had agreed to arrange one only after hearing about the wedding. Sahu also claimed that he had contacts with dealers across the city and could arrange cylinders if they were available.
According to the report, reporters eventually obtained cylinders from different suppliers and documented these transactions using hidden cameras.
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