Nawanshahr RTO’s bail plea dismissed

The court of Additional Sessions Judge Aprajita Joshi on Friday dismissed the bail application moved by absconding PCS officer and Nawanshahr RTO Ravinder Kumar Bansal in the alleged driving licence scam. A Vigilance Bureau team of Jalandhar had conducted a crackdown in his office on April 7 and booked the officer.

Bansal has an FIR lodged against him under Sections 7, 7-A of the Prevention of Corruption Act, and Section 318 (4), 61 (2) of the BNS at Police Station, Vigilance Bureau, Jalandhar Range. The FIR had been registered against him on the complaint of Harmail Singh, a farmer, who along with his wife Ravinder Kaur (applicant for driving licence) approached Jangra Driving Training School run by Kewal Krishan Jangra and his nephew Kamal Kumar. He said they demanded Rs 1,400 from him even as the government fee for applying for learning driving licence was only Rs 520.

The complainant said they told him that they had connection with the RTO, driving track officials, data entry operator Munish Kumar and junior assistant Jatinder Kumar. He even said while Rs 1,400 fee was only for learner’s licence, it was Rs 1,700 for permanent driving licence and Rs 5,000 if anyone wanted permanent licence without passing the driving test.

He said a number of agents in the area had been giving the same offer. He even audio recorded his conversation with the agents and handed it over to the VB.

The modus operandi used by the agents and staff was that while video recording the driving test, the cameras were fixed such that only the vehicle was visible and not the person driving it. Also those passing the test were asked to give tests twice or thrice and their extra videos were put as evidence against those who could not drive the vehicle but were ready to pay Rs 5,000.

Accused Manish confessed before the ED that he used to take Rs 1,500 as bribe money, of which he used to keep Rs 500 and the remaining Rs 1,000 was paid to the RTO or ATO, Nawanshahr, who gave approval for such licences through e-parivahan app. He reportedly confessed having earned Rs 1 lakh to Rs 1.5 lakh per month and handed over the same amount to RTO Bansal and ATO Ramandeep Singh. He also pointed to 125 hidden files of such cases with him.

Bansal’s lawyer contended in the court that he was working as SDM, Balachaur, and had got the charge of RTO on January 20 this year. He said at the time of his joining, there was no facility to conduct the driving test and it started just 15 days ahead of the lodging of the FIR. He said he had no direct role in conducting the tests and that he was only checking the documents.

The court observed that the allegations in the case were serious and custodial interrogation of the officer was imperative for verification of the suspected files and getting his digital ID. The court, therefore, dismissed his bail application.

The case assumes importance as Director, Vigilance, SPS Parmar, Jalandhar Vigilance SSP Harpreet Mander and AIG Swarandeep Singh had been placed under suspension. —TNS

Jalandhar