Mansa: ADTO’s driver poses as RTA to ‘extort’ money

The transport department, which is trying to shed the ‘corrupt’ tag, found itself in another soup when two employees of the department allegedly impersonated as Regional Transport Authority (RTA) and tried to extort money from private transporters on Friday morning in Mansa.

The transport department, which is trying to shed the ‘corrupt’ tag, found itself in another soup when two employees of the department allegedly impersonated as Regional Transport Authority (RTA) and tried to extort money from private transporters on Friday morning in Mansa.

HT had earlier highlighted as how the department has been running without a designated officer for the last one year and clerical staff has taken over the department. (Representative image)

HT had earlier highlighted as how the department has been running without a designated officer for the last one year and clerical staff has taken over the department.

In the absence of ADTO (assistant DTO) Bhupinder Singh, his driver and two security guards, allegedly used his vehicle to put up a checkpost on the Mansa-Chandigarh highway and started checking the vehicles. When confronted by some locals, the ADTO’s driver posed himself as the RTA and tried to extort money from a truck driver, who was going to Mandi Gobindgarh. According to eyewitness Bhupinder Singh, district president of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP),”The ADTO was not in his car when his driver and security guard were checking the vehicles. When we confronted the driver, he left the scene and came back with the ADTO.” The truck driver, who was later challaned by the ADTO, alleged that the ADTO’s driver had claimed that he was the RTA on duty and could impose hefty fine on him.

State transport commissioner Harmail Singh Sra said he would look into the video where the driver has allegedly impersonated himself as the RTA. “I will try to find out the exact sequence of events and will take proper action.”