ACB starts inquiry into learners’ licence scam

Nagpur: Almost two years after lodging a complaint, transport commissioner (TC) Shekhar Channe has given nod to state’s anti-corruption bureau (ACB) for inquiry against its officials, including motor vehicle inspectors (MVIs) and assistant motor vehicle inspectors (AMVIs), allegedly involved in learners’ licence scam.
Office of superintendent of police (ACB) Rashmi Nandedkar confirmed the development and stated that an open inquiry has been initiated against nine city RTO officials including four MVIs.
The case had come to fore after activist Nitin Tiwari exposed irregularities in 2018 in conducting learners’ licence test in city RTO situated in Giripeth. He later lodged a complaint with cyber cell of Nagpur city police. The cyber cell had conducted probe and found evidence of the alleged scam.
During the inquiry it was revealed that apart from office computers, outside IP addresses were used to conduct the tests and involvement of 17 persons was established. The cyber cell had submitted 1,800-page report to transport commissioner’s office in Mumbai in early 2019.
Though the cyber cell had completed its investigation, departmental inquiry ordered by transport commissioner into the case is still not completed.
Tiwari also filed a PIL in the high court. On September 21 last year, following nod from the TC, an FIR against 17 persons, including nine RTO officials and eight outsiders, was registered at Sitabuldi police station.
The police booked MVIs Abhijeet Khare and Vilas Thengne, AMVIs Mangesh Rathore, Sanjivani Chopde, Shailesh Kopulla, Sanjay Pallewad, Mithun Dongre, and two clerks — retired office superintendent Pradip Lehgaonkar and Deepali Bhoyar — and eight outsiders Ashwin Sawarkar, Rajesh Deshmukh, Ashish Bhoyar, Arun Lanjewar, Umesh Dhivdonde, Amol Pantawane, owner of Orange Infotech Pvt Ltd Jairam D’Souza and one of his employees under sections 419, 420, 464, 465, 468, 471 of Indian Penal Code along with Section 66 (C)&(D) of Information Technology Act.
Though 17 persons were booked in the scam, the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) has so far arrested only one AMVI Sanjivani Chopde and three agents Sawarkar, Pantawane and Bhoyar, and they were released on surety bonds.
A senior ACB official said the inquiry will be completed within six months and appropriate action will be taken against those found involved in the scam.
Sources said as a case has been registered, its investigation should have been handed over to the ACB much earlier as RTO officials were allegedly involved in corrupt practices like demanding and accepting bribes.
POINTS TO PONDER
March 22, 2018: Nitin Tiwari lodges plaint with RTO about irregularities in LL test. Simultaneously, TOI exposes how AMVIs conducted LL test after office hours and on government holidays
July 17, 2018: Tiwari files PIL in high court
April, 2019: Cyber cell submits inquiry report to transport commissioner’s office and advises filing FIR
September 21, 2019: Transport commissioner Shekhar Channe directs city RTO Dinkar Manwar to file FIR
September 27, 2019: Assistant RTO Martand Newaskar files FIR against 17 persons, including nine RTO officials and agents
September 28, 2019: Police commissioner Bhushan Kumar Upadhyay shifts probe to EOW
October 19, 2019: Three agents arrested and sent in one-day police remand
November 4, 2019: AMVI Sanjivani Chopde arrested and sent in 2-day police remand