BS-IV vehicle registration scam: 15 Punjab officers in the dock

THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT HAD RECENTLY BLACKLISTED 5,706 BS-IV VEHICLES REGISTERED FRAUDULENTLY AFTER APRIL 1, 2020

PATIALA: At least 10 Punjab Civil Services (PCS) officers and five transport department officials are in dock for their alleged involvement in the BS-IV vehicles registration scam that took place in the state between April 1, 2020, and July 2022.

The state transport department had recently blacklisted about 5,700 such vehicles which were registered in Punjab by making forged and back-date entries.

Most of these vehicles are expensive SUVs, which were allegedly registered either by accepting bribes and undue favours from 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 had bought luxury SUVs for just ₹8 to ₹10 lakh and registered them as scooters, the officials said. The scam had unfolded when the court asked the authorities to file an affidavit in this regard.

Erring PCS officers

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, Dina Nagar, Gidderbaha, and Patiala.

Maximum 912 of such illegal vehicles were 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 some senior officials manipulated with engine and chassis numbers besides their manufacturing details while registering these vehicles illegally and evaded taxes as well.

Action against vehicle owners

The state government has also taken action against vehicle owners, whose taxes were due and documents incomplete. All services related to such vehicles have been blocked.

Calling it a major scam, Vikas Garg, secretary, transport, said it was an example of organised crime committed by forging documents and registering SUVs without paying taxes.

“Registration of all such 5,706 vehicles has already been cancelled, but that is not enough,” he said.

“The erring employees and persons will not be spared at any cost. I have asked the district authorities to register FIRs in this regard,” he added.

“Such vehicles were not only registered by RTAs, but also SDMs, which showed how foolproof their mechanism was,” secretary, transport, Vikas Garg said.