Rigged e-meter: Mumbai auto driver’s licence suspended

An auto driver, who was found fleecing passengers with a rigged e-meter last month, will not able to drive the vehicle for six months

An autorickshaw driver, who was last month found fleecing passengers with a rigged e-meter, will not able to drive the vehicle for the next six months. Reason: the Wadala Regional Transport Office (RTO) on Monday suspended his driving licence along with autorickshaw permit.

The Wadala Regional Transport Office (RTO) on Monday suspended his driving licence along with autorickshaw permit. (Representational photo)

Based on a complaint filed by Sachin Khetale, a civil engineer, whom the driver had charged an exorbitant fare for the journey between Kapurbawadi, Thane to Shanti Nagar Jogeshwari, the Jogeshwari traffic division had seized Narale’s autorickshaw with registration number MH 03 BT 6161. With the help of friends, Khetale had spread a post on the incident and photographs on social media.

After the Hindustan Times on February 16, published a report on how the Jogeshwari resident, brought to the attention of traffic police a trick allegedly being used by the driver of an auto he was travelling to tamper with the meter and fleece commuters, the transport authorities swung into action.

Purushottam Nikam, regional transport officer of Wadala RTO, said, “We have suspended the auto-rickshaw permit of Nitin Kumar Narale for 90 days and driving licence for 180 days, as per the provisions in section 86 and section 19 of the Motor Vehicle Act, for e-meter rigging complaint against him.”

During the hearing, the autorickshaw driver denied rigging of e-meter and claimed he has been falsely implicated, said RTO officials. Narale can appeal to the transport commissioner.

They sent a show-cause notice to Narale. The Wadala RTO also lodged a police complaint against the auto driver at Meghwadi police station under section 420 (Cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property) of Indian Penal code, on February 17. 2018.