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Herbal fuel-maker Ramar Pillai held

Herbal fuel inventor Ramar Pillai has been arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation under various sections of the Indian Penal Code.

He has also been charged with adulterating petroleum products and passing them as herbal fuel.

CBI officials, who raided Pillai's residence and industrial premises in Madras last night, seized over 1400 litres of the so-called herbal fuel which, on examination, turned out to be a mixture of industrial benzene, toulene and additives.

They also seized over Rs 400,000 kept in his house.

Pillai created a sensation in the country a few years ago by announcing that he had found a formula for making a herbal fuel which would be cheap and environment friendly.

He had enjoyed widespread political support and his invention had been demonstrated before various dignitaries.

The scientific community, however, remained sceptical about his invention and had even described it as a hoax.

UNI

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