Chennai, August 12: Petrol pump operators in Tamil Nadu have raised serious concerns regarding digital payments, particularly UPI transactions. They have warned that if their issues are not addressed, petrol stations across the state may cease accepting UPI and other cashless payments. Dealers allege that their bank accounts are being frozen during cybercrime investigations, despite having no direct involvement in any disputed transactions.
The Tamil Nadu Petroleum Dealers Association (TNPDCA), representing around 5,000 petrol pumps in the state, has called for intervention from Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay. The association claims that the increasing risks associated with digital payments are making it increasingly difficult for petrol pump operators to maintain cashless payment facilities.
In a letter to the Chief Minister, TNPDCA President K.P. Murali stated that petrol pump operators are being dragged into cybercrime investigations while they merely receive legitimate payments for selling petrol or diesel to customers.
According to the association, petrol pump operators lack the means to verify the identity of customers making payments through UPI or other digital methods, nor can they ascertain if the amount sent has previously passed through an account linked to alleged cyber fraud.
The use of digital payments in the state has surged. An average petrol pump sees between 200 to 500 digital transactions daily, with many outlets receiving over half of their total income through UPI and other cashless methods.
Dealers indicate that problems arise when a payment made by a customer later comes under the scrutiny of cybercrime investigations. At the direction of investigative agencies, banks freeze the related amounts or, in several cases, the entire bank account.
Petrol pump operators argue that freezing an entire business account due to a single suspicious transaction is unjust. This action severely impacts their daily operations, as uninterrupted banking services are essential for purchasing fuel, paying employees, and covering other necessary expenses.
The association has also expressed concerns regarding police actions. They allege that in some instances, petrol pump operators have been taken in for questioning early in the morning without being informed about which transaction was under investigation.
TNPDCA asserts that merchants accepting payments through authorized digital payment methods should not be deemed suspicious simply because a cybercrime investigation has commenced on a transaction.
The association has urged the state government to establish safeguards to prevent the freezing of legitimate business accounts without sufficient grounds and to protect them from unnecessary police actions.
Dealers have warned that if no practical solution is found, petrol pumps in Tamil Nadu may be forced to discontinue UPI and other digital payment options and revert to cash transactions.
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