Gang targeting traffic offenders active at Sector 43 District Courts in Chandigarh

The UT police have started a probe into complaints of fleecing in the name of settling traffic challans at the District Courts in Sector 43.

Sources said at least 12 persons brought to the notice of courts that some people took money ranging from Rs 2,000 to Rs 5,000 for depositing the challans and asked them to wait outside the court.

A senior official at the court said in all such cases, the modus operandi was the same. On reaching court premises, traffic violators approach such persons to seek their help in getting their challans cleared. They are asked to shell out some extra amount. Traffic offenders are then taken outside the courtrooms and asked to wait for their turn.

Later, these fraudsters start making excuses for not depositing the challans on the particular day, citing various reasons. The complainants stated that after some time, fraudsters stopped taking their phone calls.

The matter came to light when some offenders brought it the notice of the courts. The court of Chief Judicial Magistrate has forwarded all such complaints to the police.

Sub-Inspector Asha Devi, incharge, the ISBT Sector 43 police post, who is probing the complaints, had even arrested a person, a Ramdarbar resident, after scanning the CCTV footage of the court. The suspect was taken on three-day remand for further investigation.

The police said on a complaint filed by Nitin Kumar of Manimajra and others, a case under Sections 316(2), 318(4), 319(2) and 61(2)

of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita was registered against Yogi, alias Yash Rana, Sanjeev Chaudhary, Amit, Yogesh Kumar and their associates at the Sector 36 police station. The accused allegedly assured the complainants of settling their challans at the Sector 43 District Courts on September 11.

Court officials have advised people to directly approach the court for depositing fine for traffic offences as per the proper procedure and to not seek the help of such people. Those duped by such fraudsters should approach the police to bring them to book.

Police officials said the matter had been taken seriously and efforts were underway to arrest the other accused. They said the gang would be exposed soon.

Sources said there was a multifold jump in the pendency of traffic challans. With the installation of CCTV cameras at every light point, the number of e-challans have increased. A huge number of offenders queue up at the courts to deposit their traffic challans.