Biker uses fake no. plate to avoid e-challans, held

The Mumbai traffic police recently nabbed a 22-year-old man for using a fake number plate on his two-wheeler to avoid e-challans.

The Mumbai traffic police recently nabbed a 22-year-old man for using a fake number plate on his two-wheeler to avoid e-challans.

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The accused, Mohammed Hussain Shaikh, was arrested by the Dharavi police on charges of cheating and forgery. In the past few months, he violated traffic rules thrice, police said.

The fraud came to light on July 31 when Aslam Khan, a Byculla-based businessman, approached the traffic police headquarters and asked the officers why he was served e-challans worth ₹1,800 when he had not violated any traffic rules. The traffic police then checked CCTV footage and it was revealed that someone had used Khan’s vehicle registration number as their own.

The accused was later identified as Shaikh.

“Around seven months ago, Shaikh changed a digit on his vehicle’s registration number plate. So, every time he violated traffic rules, the e-challan system would send the fine to the actual owner of the registration number,” said Pravin Padwal, additional commissioner of police (traffic).

Taking note of this incident, joint commissioner of police (traffic) Madhukar Pandey instructed his subordinates to register a criminal case against Shaikh.

On August 22, Padmavti Kalal, sub-inspector at traffic police headquarters , filed a case against Shaikh under sections 420 (cheating), 465 (forgery) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and 39 (necessity for registration) and 192 (using vehicle without registration) of the Motor Vehicles Act.

Shaikh was arrested by the Dharavi police and has been remanded in police custody till August 29.

From October 2016 – when the e-challan process was introduced – to 2018, the traffic police have collected ₹172.44 crore in fines and issued over 53 lakh e-challans.