Urgent: Petrol pump threatening a fake extortion case after I complained on PGPortal. Police says "sending a letter shortly". What should I do? (Ghaziabad, UP)
Hi everyone,
I really need some urgent legal advice. I am extremely stressed and honestly quite terrified right now.
The Background:
A month ago, I noticed a scam at a local petrol pump near me—Modern Service Station HP (opposite Dolphin Public School, Modinagar, Ghaziabad). I wanted to get fuel for Rs 200 and asked them to preset it. They refused to use the preset lock on the machine and started fueling manually.
Crucially, they did not reset the meter to zero. They started fueling directly from Rs 50 (leftover from a previous transaction). When I realized they didn't clear the meter and called them out for shortchanging me, the staff became very aggressive and misbehaved with me.
I did not let it go. I filed official complaints on PGPortal, UP Jansunwai, and HPCL. I have all the official PDFs and trackable complaint receipts, all dated from a month ago.
What Happened Today:
Today, I received a call from someone identifying himself as SI Rahul Kumar from the Modipon Chowki (under Modinagar Police Station).
He told me that the petrol pump manager, Narendra, has gone to the police alleging that I am demanding a bribe/extortion money to stop complaining and withdraw my cases.
This is a complete lie. I have never met this manager in private, never spoken to them, and never asked for a single rupee. I only wanted action against their staff for cheating consumers and misbehaving. They are clearly trying to pressure and intimidate me.
I do not know if they have registered a formal FIR/complaint or not. The SI didn't clarify that, but he said they will "send me a letter shortly" and cut the call.
I am extremely scared of what is going to happen next.
My Questions for the Lawyers/Experts here:
- What does this "sending a letter shortly" mean? Is it a notice to appear? Can they register an FIR or arrest me directly based purely on the pump manager's word without any proof?
- How should I handle this letter when it arrives? Do I need to hire a local lawyer to draft a formal reply to it?
- Should I go to the chowki? Should I refuse to go without a written notice, or go with a lawyer/family?
- Should I file a preemptive complaint/email to the ACP of Modinagar or DCP Rural Ghaziabad explaining this blatant intimidation and harassment of a consumer? Will my prior PGPortal complaints serve as solid proof of my innocence?
I am just a common citizen trying to fight a local fuel scam, and now I am facing a threat of a fake police case. Any guidance on my immediate next steps would mean a lot. Thank you.