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Two Kanpur ARTOs suspended over irregularities, RTO gets show-cause notice
“ARTO (Enforcement), Somlata Yadav, and ARTO (Administration) Alok Kumar have been suspended with immediate effect. RTO (Administration), Rakendra Singh, has been asked to submit his explanation within 15 days,” the spokesman said.
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The state government has suspended two assistant regional transport officers (ARTOs) in Kanpur Nagar and issued a show-cause notice to the regional transport officer (RTO) over alleged irregularities, poor supervision and lax control over subordinate staff, a government spokesman said.
The action was taken on the directions of transport minister (Independent Charge) Dayashankar Singh following a surprise inspection of the regional and assistant transport offices in Kanpur Nagar.
“ARTO (Enforcement), Somlata Yadav, and ARTO (Administration) Alok Kumar have been suspended with immediate effect. RTO (Administration), Rakendra Singh, has been asked to submit his explanation within 15 days,” the spokesman said.
During the inspection, officials questioned around 50 people present at the office and identified 11 suspected touts allegedly collecting money from applicants for vehicle registration and driving licences. Cash amounting to ₹43,485 was recovered from them. The district administration subsequently lodged an FIR against 15 people, including two transport department clerks, at Kakadeo police station.
The two clerks, senior assistants Madhur Mishra and Vipin Kumar, were found allegedly involved in the irregularities and had already been suspended on August 27. The department has also ordered an open vigilance inquiry against them.
In another case, the driver of truck UP91 AT 4251 alleged that ₹26,750 was collected from him by a transport office employee, but a receipt for only ₹21,750 was issued. The discrepancy was also found during reconciliation of the cash available at the office.
The department said ₹7,000 and ₹15,000 were found short against the amounts recorded on challan receipts in cases involving Vipin Kumar and Madhur Mishra, respectively.
The two suspended ARTOs will remain attached to headquarters during their suspension.
