Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann led Punjab government has blacklisted 5706 BS-IV vehicles registered fraudulently for violating the guidelines of the Supreme Court of India. The state government has also taken action against those vehicles, whose taxes were due and documents were incomplete and all services related to these vehicles have been blocked.
Divulging further, Punjab Transport Minister Laljit Singh Bhullar informed that as per the guidelines of the Supreme Court of India, a complete ban was imposed on the registration of high-polluting BS-IV vehicles after March 31, 2020, but this type of vehicles had been registered fraudulently, of which the transport department has identified 5706 vehicles so far.
The Cabinet Minister said, the investigation revealed that the vehicle owners, company dealers and clerks, assistants, accountants of RTA/SDM Offices and some senior officials manipulated with engine and chassis number and vehicle manufacturing details and registration of these vehicles was done besides evading taxes.
The Cabinet Minister informed that besides this, many vehicle dealers continued their dealerships without getting themselves registered in the office of the State Transport Commissioner (STC) at that time and they have been found to be involved in fraud with the government by registering such vehicles on a large scale in their own names.
Even many such dealers have got themselves registered fraudulently on the portal NIC (National Informatics Center). He said that the registration documents of many vehicles were found to be incomplete during investigation.
"The department has uploaded the list of fraudulently registered BS-IV and other vehicles on the website of the department, informed Transport Minister, adding that so far 5706 vehicles have been identified and investigation is on for identification of other vehicles.
He said that the erring employees and persons involved will not be spared at any cost. He directed the Secretary Transport and State Transport Commissioner to initiate the process of collecting due taxes from the accused and take legal action against them under Indian Penal Code and other relevant rules.