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Cash for jobs allegations put driving licence agencies under scrutiny
The complainants alleged that they were forced to pay ₹3-4 lakh each for recruitment and were later dismissed after refusing to pay advance salary demands
Uttar Pradesh transport department has initiated an inquiry into allegations of fraud and corruption against private agencies engaged in driving licence (DL) services after CM Yogi Adityanath took cognisance of complaints raised by former employees during the Janata Darshan on Monday.
The complainants alleged that they were forced to pay ₹3-4 lakh each for recruitment and were later dismissed after refusing to pay advance salary demands. Following the chief minister’s intervention, transport department officials began recording complaints from the alleged victims and are preparing to initiate further legal action, including FIRs, if the allegations are substantiated.
The work of processing, printing and delivering driving licences in Uttar Pradesh has been outsourced to three private firms, which together have deployed around 320 personnel across the state.
Officials have also sought explanations from the representatives of the three companies. Additional Transport Commissioner (Administration) Chitralekha Singh has directed that an inquiry report be submitted into complaints alleging irregularities in manpower recruitment by the three private agencies selected under the Smart Card Driving Licence Project. Following the directive, Additional Transport Commissioner (Enforcement) has sought responses from the companies.
According to the complainants, representatives of the firms allegedly collected money from candidates on the pretext of providing jobs and later terminated them after demanding that they return their salaries in cash.
Janmejay Sharma, one of the complainants, alleged that he worked with one of these three private agencies at the Moradabad office for around three months and received salary for only two months. “I was later asked to return the salary amount in cash. When I refused, I received a call asking me not to report for work. I had also paid ₹3 lakh to secure the job,” he claimed.
Another complainant, Anuj Kumar, who worked as a data entry operator at the Raebareli office through one of the three agencies, alleged that he worked for nearly three months and was paid salary for only two months. “The salary was later taken back, and I had paid ₹3 lakh to get the job,” he alleged.
The issue reached the chief minister during the Janata Darshan, where former employees, including Akhilesh Kumar and Anuj Kumar, sought intervention and alleged they had been cheated. Adityanath assured them of appropriate action.
Earlier, the transport department had declined to intervene, saying the dispute was an internal matter between the private agencies and their employees, and that the department had no role in it. However, following the chief minister’s intervention, officials initiated an inquiry and began recording complaints from the alleged victims.
Transport commissioner Ashutosh Niranjan said the department has ordered a senior-level inquiry into the complaints. “Ten previously engaged employees of certain private companies have made serious written allegations against these companies. These serious allegations are being enquired into by a senior officer of the transport department. Further necessary action would be taken as per the findings of the enquiry being conducted,” Niranjan said.
The allegations had surfaced several months ago, with over 30 complaints reportedly submitted to the transport department. Sources said a departmental inquiry had earlier been ordered, and district magistrates in 25 districts were asked to examine the complaints. However, no action was taken on the findings. The matter was also flagged by BJP’s Uttar Pradesh president Pankaj Chaudhary, but no further action followed.
After the chief minister’s intervention, department officials met the complainants, recorded their statements and began the process of examining the allegations.
