In line with the Punjab Government’s zero-tolerance policy against corruption, the Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) Bathinda Range during a surprise inspection at the Regional Transport Authority (RTA) office Bathinda, has found that unfit vehicles, without any physical verification, were registered using fake documents and the agents had further sold them to the public at inflated prices.
On the basis of these malpractices, the VB has registered a case against accused Naveen Kumar, a resident of NFL Colony, Bathinda and Inderjeet Singh, a resident of Dhobiana Road, Bathinda. Meanwhile, the Bureau has nominated and arrested Naresh Kumar, owner of Nagpal Body Maker, Sirsa Road, Dabwali in Haryana in this case and has launched raids to arrest the other accused.
A spokesperson for the state VB informed that during the inspection, it was discovered that the said accused, in collusion with transport officials, had obtained No Objection Certificates (NOCs) from Gujarat state for five condemned jeeps/vehicles (Mahindra & Mahindra models from 1993 and 1996), even though these vehicles never actually arrived in Bathinda.
The accused individuals had purchased five scrapped vehicles from different states and fraudulently obtained their NOCs from Gujarat. They then used a rental agreement with a person named Rajesh Tuteja, without his consent, to manipulate records.
Subsequently, the accused got these scrapped vehicles modified at Nagpal Body Maker, Sirsa Road, Dabwali in Haryana and fraudulently got registered them at the RTA Bathinda office using fake documents in connivance with concerned officials/private agents.
Afterwards, these vehicles were sold to unsuspecting buyers at high prices, committing fraud. The Vigilance Bureau’s Bathinda Range conducted a raid at aforementioned Nagpal Body Maker in Dabwali and seized the five modified jeeps, estimated to be worth around Rs 25 lakh.
The spokesperson further added that in this regard a case FIR No. 11, dated 07/04/2025 has been registered against above said Naveen Kumar and Inderjeet Singh under sections 7-A and 13(1)(A) read with 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act along with sections 318(4), 336(2), 338, 336(4), 340(2) and 61 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
In addition to this Naresh Kumar, owner of Nagpal Body Maker, Dabwali has also been nominated and arrested. Raids are ongoing to arrest the other accused. He further added that during further investigation the involvement of RTA Bathinda officials/employees or other private individuals would also be probed and would be nominated if found guilty in the case.