4 traffic policemen suspended for pocketing fines

FARIDABAD : The Haryana police have suspended four traffic cops after registering an FIR against them for cheating, forgery and criminal breach of trust while challaning the commuters on the roads in Palwal.

They allegedly cheated gullible commuters by charging them hefty “fines”, which they used to pocket after forging receipt books.

The accused cops have been identified as Deen Dayal, Ranbir, Naval Kumar and Mohd Rashid.

The opposition Congress has described the issue as a mega scam, allegedly involving crores of rupees looted by the traffic police in the name of enforcing traffic rules.

The four cops on traffic duty in Palwal township allegedly used to impose fines to the tune of Rs 1,000 for any traffic violation like reckless driving. They would hand over the original receipt to the commuter and tamper with the figure, changing Rs 1,000 to Rs 100 and pocket Rs 900.

The lid was blown by an RTI activist who sought information about some particular challan numbers and the reply confirmed variation in the fine amount collected and deposited with the government.

“After I got this reply through RTI, I approached Palwal superintendent of police (SP) recently and briefed him about how some traffic cops pocket money in the name of enforcing traffic rules by tampering with the challan receipts,” Vikas Kumar, RTI activist, told HT. “The SP took the matter seriously and ordered a probe”, he added. The probe confirmed the irregularities.

“An FIR has been registered against four cops and they all have been placed under suspension,” Palwal SP Wasim Akram said.

“It is a big scam running into crores of rupees and my demand is money looted by unfair means should be returned to the commuters. I am going to raise this issue in Haryana assembly ” said Congress MLA from Palwal Karan Singh Dalal.