Uttar Pradesh: Man held in Ghaziabad for posing as RTO officer

Ashish Sharma allegedly posed as an RTO officer and contacted victims, claiming their commercial vehicles had pending challans to deceive them.

Delhi Police has apprehended a 38-year-old man from Uttar Pradesh's Ghaziabad for impersonating a Regional Transport Office (RTO) officer and duping unsuspecting vehicle owners in an online challan scam, an official said on Sunday.

The complainant in the case was coerced into transferring ₹12,500 online as challan fine. He filed a police complaint later when he realised about the fraud.

The accused, identified as Ashish Sharma, allegedly posed as an RTO officer and contacted victims under the pretext of pending challans on their commercial vehicles, he said.

"Using vehicle registration details, he threatened that their permits would be cancelled if fines were not paid immediately," said the police officer.

The complainant in the case was coerced into transferring ₹12,500 online as challan fine. He filed a police complaint later when he realised about the fraud.

The accused was traced through bank transactions and call records.

Sharma confessed during interrogation that he previously worked as a private agent at the Ghaziabad RTO office, where he accessed old vehicle registration files stored in unsecured areas, police said.

He used this data along with information from an online app to target vehicle owners. To enhance his credibility, he even used police logos and officer images on his calling profile, they said.

The officer said the police recovered two mobile phones and multiple bank account kits used in the fraud.

Further investigation is ongoing, he added.