The Delhi government's Anti-Corruption Branch on Thursday apprehended 14 persons, including a motor vehicle inspector, auto financiers, dealers, and touts in connection with illegal transfer and renewal of permits for auto rickshaws, involving the use of forged and fabricated applications.
It was discovered that the permits belonging to deceased individuals were fraudulently allocated to new applicants based on these falsified applications.
The Delhi High Court had issued an order, prompting the ACB to conduct an investigation into the corruption allegations concerning the unauthorised transfer and renewal of permits for Auto Rickshaws originating from the Auto Rickshaw Unit of the Transport Authority in Burari.
"The writ petition highlighted multiple registration numbers of autorickshaws as evidence of victims/cases where illegal activities had taken place. It was stressed that auto rickshaw financiers and dealers held significant control over this industry, leaving the drivers and owners of autorickshaws in a helpless situation," Joint Commissioner of Police and ACB chief Madhur Verma said.
The preliminary enquiry conducted, prima facie, established commission of offence covered under the provision of Section 7 of Prevention of Corruption Act, and other relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code, he said.
During investigation, a large number of original registration files pertaining to the alleged TSRs were obtained from Burari Transport Authority and the previous permit holders and present permit holders were examined.
"The examination revealed deep dubious role of Authority officials, touts, and dealers in transfer/renewal of TSR permits on the basis of forged and fabricated applications. The family members of victims/deceased permit holders have informed that they have never moved any application for transfer/renewal of the TSR permit," said Verma.
He said that the investigation clearly exposed the mass level nexus between authority officials, touts and dealers. "The investigation revealed that in 2021, in a number of instances, the permit holders had died long back, but their permits had been transferred in name of other people on basis of forged and fabricated applications," Verma added.
"As per the investigation, one motor vehicle Inspector, 10 dealers/financiers of TSRs and three touts were arrested on Thursday," he said.