Delhi LG orders ACB probe into graft at transport authority

New Delhi: Lieutenant governor (LG) Vinai Kumar Saxena on Friday directed the Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) to probe the alleged corruption and collusion of transport department officials with auto-rickshaw financers and unauthorised dealers and touts at the Burari Transport Authority, which issues auto-rickshaw and taxi permits in the Capital

New Delhi: Lieutenant governor (LG) Vinai Kumar Saxena on Friday directed the Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) to probe the alleged corruption and collusion of transport department officials with auto-rickshaw financers and unauthorised dealers and touts at the Burari Transport Authority, which issues auto-rickshaw and taxi permits in the Capital.

HT Image

“The LG has directed officials to complete the investigation and submit a comprehensive report within one month. The directorate of vigilance examined the matter and observed that the petitioners have levelled serious allegations of large-scale corruption in the RTO as well as misdeeds impacting the auto-rickshaw drivers. It has been alleged that (auto-rickshaw) permits are being transferred in cahoots with the motor licensing officer (MLO) and the RTO officials,” an official from LG office said.

The move comes in the wake of a May 12 Delhi high court order on a criminal writ petition filed by several auto-rickshaw unions of the national Capital who alleged large-scale corruption in the regional transport office (RTO) regarding illegal transfer of three-seater auto-rickshaw permits, leading to the harassment of auto-rickshaw drivers. The unions alleged that the motor licensing officer and RTO officials were in cahoots. Auto-rickshaw drivers had complained if they defaulted on loans, three-seater auto-rickshaw permits would be transferred illegally to people who wanted in to drive autos and were willing to pay. To be sure, when a person defaults on loan, the bank seizes the vehicle and later auctions it. The permit, meanwhile, has to be surrendered and cannot be transferred immediately.

While considering the criminal writ petition, the high court directed the Delhi Police, transport department, and the directorate of vigilance of the Delhi government to proceed with the investigation into the matter, while treating this petition as a complaint, the LG office said. The high court also directed Delhi Police to forward the petition to the Economic Offence Wing or the Serious Fraud Investigation Office for necessary action.

The Delhi government did not respond to requests seeking comment on the development.

“The directorate of vigilance, in its report, observed that the said complaint was ‘serious’ in nature and hence, proposed to refer the same to the ACB, which was further endorsed by the chief secretary. The directorate of vigilance noted that the transport department on August 8, 2012, made it a condition precedent that the financiers of auto-rickshaws will be non-financial banking companies but several proprietorship firms were financing the purchase of three-seater auto-rickshawsand thereafter, filing court cases to recover the auto-rickshaws for default of loan payments,” an official from the LG office said.

According to an estimate by the government there are over 200,000 auto-rickshaw drivers in the national Capital.