Another agent held in Punjab vehicle fitness certificates racket

VIGILANCE ACTION

JALANDHAR : The Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) has arrested one more absconding agent who allegedly colluded with Jalandhar motor vehicle inspector (MVI) Naresh Kaler in the vehicle fitness certificates scam.

The VB has confiscated the mobile phone and SIM card of the agent, identified as Varinder Singh Deepu, a resident of Basti Gujan, Jalandhar. These will be sent to data experts to gather more information about the scam.

Disclosing this here on Wednesday, a VB spokesperson said the bureau had conducted a surprise check at the MVI’S office and exposed an organised corruption for issuing/receiving fitness certificates without conducting inspection of commercial and private vehicles on a large scale in connivance with private agents.

Giving details, he said the bureau on the basis of sufficient evidence, registered a case under Sections 7 and 7A of the Prevention of Corruption Act and Sections 420 (cheating) and 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code at the VB police station in Jalandhar.

Apart from Varinder, so far, a total of nine accused have been arrested – Naresh Kaler, Rampal, alias Radhe, Mohan Lal, alias Kalu, Paramjit Singh Bedi, Surjit Singh, Harvinder Singh, Pankaj Dhingra, Brijpal Singh and Arvind Kumar, all private agents.