In Karnal, 5 held for giving info on RTA staff location

Tribune News Service

Karnal, July 15

Five members of a gang were arrested for allegedly informing transporters through WhatsApp groups the location of Road Transport Authority (RTA) officials so that overload vehicles can have a safe passage.

The police seized three vehicles, seven mobile phones and Rs.1.11 lakh from them on Saturday.

The accused have been identified as Irfan, Azam, Mubarik and Sufian, all residents of Shamli district in Uttar Pradesh, and Rehan of Balhera in Gharaunda block of Haryana. They were booked under Sections 420, 453, 186 and 120-B of the IPC, he added.

Virender Singh, in charge, CIA-I, said the police had received a complaint from RTA inspector Munish Kumar regarding a gang chasing vehicles of officials and informing transporters of overloaded vehicles of their locations.

Subsequently, Assistant Sub-inspector (ASI) Shamsher Singh and other police officials arrested five members of a gang from Meerut road near a Karnal sugar mill while conveying to transporters the location of RTA officials through a WhatsApp group on Saturday evening.

About the modus operandi, the CIA in charge said the accused had several WhatsApp groups with more than 200 transporters or truck drivers in each group. They charged Rs2,000 per month from each transporter. “Group members chase RTA officials from their office and keep on informing transporters their location,” he said.

He added, “Such groups were active in Yamunanagar and Kurukshetra districts as well. Group members convey the location of officials in code words.”

They used WhatsApp 

• The accused has several WhatsApp groups with more than 200 transporters or truck drivers in each group
• They charge Rs 2,000 per month from each transporter
• They chase RTA officials from their office and keep on informing transporters their location
• Group members convey the location of officials in code words