VB takes over probe, 15 officials under the lens
ARUN SAINI, JOINT DIRECTOR VIGILANCE BUREAU, HAS ASKED THE SSPS OF VB IN PUNJAB TO INITIATE A PROBE
REGISTRATION OF BS-IV
VEHICLES
PATIALA: Trouble mounted for the Punjab Civil Services (PCS) and transport department officials as the Punjab Vigilance Bureau took over the probe into the registration of BS-IV vehicles in the state through unfair means.
The transport department had recently blacklisted 5,706 BS-IV vehicles registered fraudulently after April 1, 2020. At least 15 Punjab Civil Services (PCS) officers and five transport department officials are in the dock for their alleged involvement in this scam that took place in the state between April 1, 2020, and July 2022.
Following the news, which appeared in the Hindustan Times, the chief director of the vigilance bureau Varinder Kumar asked its officers to start a probe into it.
On Kumar’s direction, Arun Saini, joint director vigilance bureau, has asked the SSPS of VB in Punjab to initiate a probe.
“There are 5,706 vehicles so far identified, which were registered by flouting the Supreme Court direction. It’s a serious matter. You’re here by asked to investigate the role of owners of the vehicle, company dealers, officials, staff of RTA and registration authorities (PCS and RTAS), by probing aspects that how such illegal vehicles were registered,” Saini wrote in a letter to SSPS of VB, Bathinda, Ferozepur, Patiala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Amritsar and Mohali. He has appended a list of blacklisted vehicles. Mst of these vehicles are expensive SUVS, which were allegedly registered either by accepting bribes or giving undue favours to VIPS and influential persons, officials privy to the development said.
These four-wheelers were sold at throwaway prices by dealers after the Supreme Court had in 2020 ordered that no registration of BS-IV vehicles would be permitted. Some even bought luxury SUVS for just ₹8 to ₹10 lakh and registered them as scooters, officials said. The scam unfolded when the court asked the authorities to file an affidavit in this regard.
Among the erring PCS officers, are former sub-divisional magistrates (SDMS) of Abhoar, Baba Bakala, Ahmedgarh, Ludhiana, Ludhiana East, Amritsar, Ajnala, Amloh, Tarn Taran, Bhikhiwind, Dinanagar, Gidderbaha, and Patiala.
A maximum of 912 illegal vehicles are registered in Bagha Purana, followed by 820 in Patti, 475 in Bhikhiwind, 336 in Tarn Taran, 258 in Pathankot, and 196 in Dera Bassi, the probe revealed. Vehicle owners, company dealers and clerks, assistants, accountants of RTA/SDM offices and senior officials manipulated engine and chassis numbers, besides their manufacturing details, while registering these vehicles illegally.
The state government has also taken action against vehicle owners whose taxes were due and whose documents were incomplete. All services related to such vehicles have been blocked.
Calling it a major scam, transport secretary Vikas Garg said it was an example of an organised crime committed by forging documents and registering SUVS without paying taxes. He had said the department had already started criminal proceedings against the erring officers.