Pollution testing centre owner booked for forgery

KOCHI: The police have served notice on a pollution testing centre in Kalamassery and booked its licence holder for issuing forged pollution under control (PUC) certificates to vehicles. The Ernakulam principal sessions court, however, granted bail to him stating the arrest is unwarranted. The Kalamassery police had registered a case against BS Pollution Testing Centre and its licence holder Nidhi based on a complaint filed by the Ernakulam regional transport officer. The case was registered for cheating (IPC section 420) and forgery for cheating (section 468). The police had recently issued a notice under CrPC section 41 to Nidhi after evidence of cognisable offences were received. Following this, Nidhi approached the court seeking anticipatory bail.

The PUC certificates are issued after carrying out pollution tests of vehicles using a machine named 1-3 SYS. A smoke meter is fitted at the vehicle’s exhaust pipe and the emission value is taken. Thereafter, values are uploaded to the computer system along with the photograph of the vehicle for generating the certificate.

However, the Motor Vehicles Department found the centre was issuing forged PUC certificates to vehicles without doing the emission test. It did it using a pirated software by setting the emission value in advance. It is alleged the accused obtained wrongful gain by issuing forged pollution certificates and caused sustained loss to the government.

The accused claimed certificates were issued to vehicles using a machine authorised by the government. It also said the certificates could be issued only through software and not manually. There is no chance for cheating as all the certificates also give details of vehicles tested on the premises of the testing centre. The software has been purchased from an authorised dealer.

The public prosecutor vehemently objected to the anticipatory bail plea claiming that there is every chance of influencing witnesses and tampering with the evidence. In the report filed at the court, the investigation officer stated that all witnesses were questioned and their statements are recorded. The computer and the hard disc used for the smoke test were seized.

However, the court decided to grant anticipatory bail to the accused. “The nature of allegations levelled against the petitioner shows that custodial interrogation or detention behind bars appears to be unwarranted. It is seen the investigation of the case is almost over,” ordered judge Honey N Varghese.

PIRATED SOFTWARE
The centre was issuing forged PUC certificates to vehicles without carrying out the emission test. It used a pirated software by setting the emission value in advance.