Two vehicles allotted same number, rural RTO under lens

Nagpur: Could it be a goof-up or a scam? Whatever be the case, the regional transport office (Nagpur rural) is under lens once again after it allotted same registration number to two vehicles.
A Bolero pickup owner Vivek Vijay Pendam had bought the vehicle in May 2015. The rural RTO allotted him registration number MH40-AK-2567. The rural RTO allotted the same registration number to a truck through online system.
Sources claimed a big scam has been brewing in the rural RTO for the last many years. Hand in glove with agents, RTO officials and clerks allegedly allot registration numbers of other vehicles to stolen trucks. Though the case was brought to the notice of rural RTO, it did nothing, say sources.
Bhiwandi police had registered a case in this regard, but rural RTO did nothing.
TOI on Monday visited the rural RTO and enquired into the incident. Assistant RTO Shantaram Phase confirmed the matter but claimed the truck has already been detained in Bhiwandi for the last many months.
Even after this, the RTO portal is showing Sayyad Jakir as owner of the truck with the same registration number (MH40-AK-2567).
Phase, though, admitted that his office is yet to rectify the mistake and did not update the registration number in the name of original owner in the online system.
The ARTO further clarified that when Pendam had purchased the vehicle, there was no online registration facility for transport vehicles. The online system was introduced somewhere between 2016 and 2017.
Taking advantage of this, some RTO employees in collusion with the said transporter allotted Pendam’s vehicle number to the truck in online system.
Since 2019, Pendam is running from pillar to post to get his vehicle documents updated online, but in vain.
Phase, however, assured it will be done without further delay.
Sources said employees of rural RTO allegedly bypassed laws and reportedly issued NOCs to stolen vehicles as in the recent times at least four similar cases have cropped up in this office.
As per central motor vehicles rules, for issuing NOCs and transfer of registration of vehicles from one state to other, certain documents like original registration certificate, valid insurance, pollution under control (PUC) certificate, fitness certificate in case of transport vehicles, tax card (if obtained) and address proof are mandatory.
However, after greasing palms of transport department employees, many stolen vehicles were reportedly registered in rural RTO, sources alleged. A complaint was also filed with the crime branch police. Instead of probing the matter, the police too reportedly helped in hushing up the crime, sources alleged.
In the past too, similar scam was unearthed when around a dozen stolen transport vehicles were registered in city RTO office. Sources claimed now this scam is rampant in rural office.
With no full-time regional transport officer in this office since 2019, Wardha’s deputy RTO Bajrang Kharmate was given additional charge of rural RTO, but he hardly visits the office. Now, the office has become hub of many alleged irregular activities.