Two held for running illegal parking lot in Gurugram Sector 48

The chief minister’s flying squad has identified at least 20 places where groups are running illegal paid parking lots

Published on: Oct 5, 2022, 00:05:17 IST

By Leena Dhankhar

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Gurugram police and the chief ministers flying squad on Monday booked two people for allegedly running an illegal parking lot during a joint raid in Sector 48. The parking lot was being run by encroaching on Haryana Shahari Vikas Pradhikaran (HSVP) land. The raid was part of a recent crackdown on groups running illegal parking lots across the city and extorting money from people, police said.

Inderjeet Yadav, deputy superintendent of police (DSP), CM’s flying squad said there were at least 70 cars and 20 two-wheelers parked in the lot. (HT Photo)

The suspects have been identified as Jitender Yadav aka Jeete, and Rakesh aka Golu from Kanhai. A case under sections 34 (common intention) and 384 (extortion) of the Indian Penal Code was registered against them at Sadar police station on Monday.

The chief minister’s flying squad has identified at least 20 places where groups are running illegal paid parking lots. According to Inderjeet Yadav, deputy superintendent of police (DSP), CM’s flying squad, cops received a tip-off on Monday morning. They then notified HSVP officials following which a team was formed to conduct the raid. “The team reached the spot and encountered a man with parking slips who was charging ₹50 for car parking and ₹20 for two-wheeler parking,” he said.

Yadav said there were at least 70 cars and 20 two-wheelers parked in the lot. The parking attendant identified himself as Rakesh Singh of Sector 12 and had no valid documents for running the parking business. “He was paid ₹18,000 a month by the alleged owners of the illegal parking lot. He was running the operation for the last six months along with four others,” he added.

Inspector Harish Budhiraja, chief minister’s flying squad, said, “We have recovered data pertaining to the vehicles and confiscated parking slips from the attendant’s possession. We are verifying other details and the money trail so far,” he said. The suspects were also issuing monthly passes to people who worked in the commercial building near the parking lot, police informed.

Pravinder Kumar, junior engineer, HSVP, said that the suspects encroached on government land and were extorting money from people. “The suspects had no license or tender to charge anyone for parking. Since this land is owned by the HSVP, no commercial activities can take place on it,” he said.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Leena Dhankhar
Leena Dhankhar is Senior Editor and Bureau Chief, Gurugram, at Hindustan Times, where she has spent over 17 years chronicling the transformation of one of India's fastest-growing urban regions. From starting her career as a crime reporter to leading the Gurugram bureau, her journalism has been defined by investigative reporting, in-depth storytelling and an unwavering focus on public interest. Over nearly two decades, she has reported extensively across crime, politics, civic governance, elections, real estate, environment, courts, sports, education and entertainment, covering Gurugram, Faridabad, Nuh and Palwal. Her reporting has exposed several major scams and systemic failures, including insurance frauds, waste management irregularities, illegal arms manufacturing units in Nuh, illegal mining in the Aravallis, organised crime networks and governance lapses affecting millions of residents. Known for her investigative work and exclusive stories, Leena has reported on high-impact national issues, including the Nicaragua charter flight carrying Indian migrants that was turned back amid allegations of human trafficking, exposing the growing network of illegal immigration rackets. Her work has also focused on gang wars, prison administration, juvenile crime, women and child protection systems, the functioning of the Juvenile Justice Board and Child Welfare Committee, and environmental challenges such as pollution, waterlogging and deteriorating civic infrastructure. Beyond hard news, Leena has extensively documented Haryana's rich heritage, forests and wildlife, bringing attention to the state's historical landmarks, biodiversity, conservation efforts and ecological challenges through immersive reportage and feature writing. Her journalism has consistently gone beyond breaking news. She has documented Gurugram's rapid urbanisation through long-form narratives and enterprise reporting on issues ranging from pothole-ridden roads, flooding and waste management to the changing social fabric of India's Millennium City. She also writes widely read feature columns, including The Outsider, Changemaker, and Concern for Gurugram, profiling people, places and ideas shaping the city's identity. Leena is the author of Gurugram School Murder, published by Juggernaut Books, a deeply reported account of one of India's most high-profile school murder investigations. She is currently working on her second book, an investigative work exploring some of India's most significant scams and fraud investigations. Beyond print journalism, she has expanded her storytelling through public speaking and digital media. She is a TEDx speaker and has produced podcasts exploring Gurugram's transformation, civic challenges and untold stories. Her work reflects a commitment to narrative journalism that combines rigorous reporting with compelling storytelling. A law graduate with an MBA in Human Resources, Leena brings a multidisciplinary perspective to her reporting, particularly on governance, public policy and legal affairs. She has travelled extensively across India to pursue investigative assignments, often reporting from remote locations and conflict-prone areas in search of stories that matter.Read More