Two arrested in Delhi for selling fake high security registration plates

Two men have been arrested for being part of a syndicate that made and sold fake high security registration plates of cars and two-wheelers in Delhi.

Two men have been arrested for being part of a syndicate that made and sold fake high security registration plates (HSRP) of cars and two-wheelers in Delhi, police said on Tuesday.

Two men have been arrested for being part of a syndicate that made and sold fake high security registration plates of cars and two-wheelers in Delhi. (HT Photo)

The men, identified as Pankaj, 27, and Sumit, 25, from Bindapur in Uttam Nagar, were apprehended from their shop located in the auto market in Asalatpur, Janakpuri, in West Delhi. Following a tip-off, the police had sent a decoy customer to their shop asking them to make a high security number plate for his bike.

“The accused persons accepted money and asked the decoy customer to collect the HSRP after 15-20 minutes. After sometime, a person came with two forged number plates in his hand,” said Monika Bhardwaj, deputy commissioner of police (west). She said that an FIR has been registered under sections 420, 467, 468, 471, 120B of the IPC at the Janakpuri police station.

The police have recovered 127 forged HSRPs, one computer, a pressing machine with die cutting, 10 sheets of hologram stickers, seven black sticker sheets and a cutting plotter machine.

“On sustained interrogation, the duo disclosed that they have been doing this for the past many days. Pankaj is the kingpin. They had assured all their customers that they would provide original HSRPs in 15-20 minutes for ₹1,000-1,500 per plate,” Bhardwaj said.

The police said the accused took advantage of a notice issued by the Delhi government’s transport department on October 12 directing owners of vehicle registered between January 1, 2011 and April 30, 2012 to start getting high security registration plates.

According to transport officers, about 5 lakh private vehicles were registered during this period. As per the procedure stated by the transport department, owners of vehicles registered during this period have to submit their original registration certificate with the required fee to a nominated centre. After due verification, the centre is supposed to affix the HSRP within three or four working days. There are 13 such centres across the national capital.

The police are now on the lookout of more such syndicates.