Activist raises queries as DL issued for youth in Canada on study visa

If you are in Canada and want to get a driving licence made from Jalandhar, it is quite possible. You can take a cue from Krishna Khurana of Pucca Bagh, who is in Canada on a study visa. Someone else appeared for his driving test on October 13 and he managed to get the licence issued the same evening.

The fact that the Punjab Vigilance Bureau had conducted a raid in the same department exactly seven months ago is also no deterrent here. The malpractices continue on a higher scale even as the senior officials have chosen to overlook the wrongdoings being done in nexus with the agents.

Secretary, Regional Transport Authority, Aman Pal Singh had on Monday marked an inquiry into the matter to Assistant Transport Officer Vishal Goel. Goel today went to the driving testing centre and said, "I have started the inquiry. I am checking all the records." Aman Pal too said, "Whosoever is found guilty shall be taken to task".

The matter came to light when social activist and Congress leader Sanjay Sehgal lodged a complaint with the Principal Secretary, Transport Department, Punjab Vigilance Bureau and Secretary, RTO, alleging that the incident clearly pointed to the prevailing corrupt practices in the department.

Putting the evidence on record, Sehgal said, "Permanent driving licence application was applied for on October 5, with a driving test appointment fixed for October 13, and the licence was approved the same day at 8:23 pm. The licence was cleared after the official working hours by ARTO Kamlesh Kumari. Even as other applicants are facing significant inconvenience and harassment in accessing these services, Krishna Khurana faced no such hassles".

Sehgal has sought verification of mobile phones and details used by the applicant at the time of applying for learner's licence on June 26, 2023 and later on March 20, 2025 and September 5, 2025. He has also sought an inquiry as to whether those applicants who applied on September 5 were also given appointments within a week just as Krishna managed it for October 13 and that whether their licences too were approved the same day by ARTO Kamlesh Kumari.

The complainant has also sought verification of CCTV footage from the driving test track to verify whether he had personally appeared for the test, both inside and outside the track area. He has also sought identification of the individual who appeared on the applicant's behalf. The preliminary investigation, however, has shown that the applicant's brother had appeared for him and that the videos of the particular applicant have been deleted so as to remove the evidences against him.

Meanwhile, the Vigilance Bureau officials too are learnt to have sought a preliminary report from the department on the blatant wrongdoing which has got exposed.