Mumbaikars face fines for speeding on Swiss roads

If you have been to Switzerland in the last few years and violated speed limit norms on the roads in the tourist paradise, then be ready to receive judicial orders for paying fine.

If you have been to Switzerland in the last few years and violated speed limit norms on the roads in the tourist paradise, then be ready to receive judicial orders for paying fine.

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The Swiss police has sent formal requests to its Mumbai counterparts since 2008, seeking recovery of hefty fines ranging from Rs 9,000 to Rs 53,000 from nearly a dozen tourists from the city for speed limit violations in the European country.

The city police, accordingly, received Letters Rogatory (LRs) from the Swiss courts. It then issued orders asking the violators to pay fine or face trial in the Swiss courts.

There were two such cases this year, said Inspector Shalini Sharma of Crime Branch. "Since 2008, the Switzerland authorities have sent court orders seeking fine from violators here."

The requests were made over a period of time to the Mumbai Police's Crime Branch, the nodal agency for Interpol in Maharashtra. Its Extradition Cell is assigned the job of implementing LRs.

"The LRs mentioned the details of the traffic rule violations and asked the violators to pay the fine or face trial," the officer said.

Four LRs were received in 2008. One LR was received in 2009 in the name of one Chandan Khanna, who was fined 150 Swiss Franc or CHF (Rs 9,058) for speeding.

In January 2011, a fine of CHF 625 (Rs 37,743) was slapped on one Amit Dhannalal and in May 2011, a court imposed a fine of CHF 180 (Rs 10,870) on Asit Mehta.

Also, in the same year (June) a fine of CHF 875 (Rs 52,840) was imposed on one Mohammed Ismail Lakdawala.

In May this year, two LRs were received with Swiss courts imposing fines on Indian tourists Sachin Parab (CHF 635 or Rs 38,347) and Neeraj Kayathwal (CHF 800 or Rs 48,311) for traffic norm violations, police said.

Generally, Indian passport holders pay the fine in such cases and settle the matter on the spot, they added.