Nagpur: The office of the deputy regional transport office (east) is under scanner after the recovery of seven fake four-wheeler registration certificates (RCs). These certificates bore the forged signature of deputy RTO Vinod Jadhav.
Jadhav confirmed this and said a complaint has been filed with Kalamna police against unidentified agents and an investigation is on. The police complaint also mentions the names of the vehicle owners.
The incident came to fore when the east office received applications to issue fitness certificates to seven four-wheelers. During inspection of the documents, it came to fore that the RC smart cards were forged.
Sources said the incident surfaced earlier this year. They alleged that the RTO (east) office tried to hush up the matter. Later, a senior clerk, who retired last month, came across the fake RCs and immediately brought it to Jadhav’s notice.
As the matter reached the transport commissioner’s office in Mumbai, a police complaint was filed. Simultaneously, sources said Jadhav too carried out an internal inquiry, which hinted at involvement of some of his office staff in the fraud.
When asked if the transport department officials are involved, a cop from Kalamna police station said, “We are in the initial stages of investigation and at present, we cannot comment on the involvement of any RTO official. We are probing if any private RTO agent or official helped the gang procure the dummy smart cards.”
Sources said a nexus of touts, RTO department staff and some outsiders have been active in legalizing stolen vehicles in the east office.
In the past too, taxbook from the east office was stolen and huge loss of government revenue was reported. But no action was taken. Visitors told TOI that the touts’ menace has increased manifold at the RTO (east) office.
TOI had reported about a similar scam in the RTO (city) office when fitness certificates were issued to 18 stolen trucks some couple of years ago. Amravati police had carried out an investigation and booked RTO (city) staff.
It is not the first time that the functioning of RTO (east) has come under scanner. Touts can be spotted not only moving around the premises but also inside the office rooms and have the privilege to enter Jadhav’s chamber.
In the past, TOI had reported many illegal activities inside the premises, including how agents had a liquor party in the inspectors’ room. But no measure was taken and instead, the misuse of government facility continued unabashedly, sources added.