Manpreet Singh
Bathinda, 8 April (Ram Singh Kalian): Under the Punjab Government’s zero-tolerance policy against corruption, the Vigilance Bureau’s Bathinda range has uncovered a case during an unexpected inspection at the RTA office in Bathinda. It was revealed that unfit vehicles were being falsely registered with fake documents and sold at high prices to the public. The accused in this case Naveen Kumar a resident of N.F.L. Colony, Bathinda, and Inderjeet Singh, a resident of Dhobiana Road, Bathinda, have been charged.
Additionally, the owner of Nagpal Body Maker Firm, Naresh Kumar, who modified scrap vehicles was arrested. Teams have been formed to apprehend the other accused, and raids have commenced.
According to the Vigilance Bureau, the inspection found that the accused had obtained NOCs (No Objection Certificates) from Gujarat for five condemned Mahindra vehicles from the 1993-1996 model years, although these vehicles never arrived in Bathinda. The accused bought these scrap vehicles, colluded with RTA officials in Bathinda, and obtained the NOCs from Gujarat. They then falsely used the name and address of an individual named Rajesh Tuteja without his consent for the registration process.
The vehicles were then modified by Naresh Kumar’s body-making firm in Dabwali, Haryana, and falsely registered with the RTA Bathinda office using the fake documents. The accused sold these modified vehicles at high prices, deceiving unsuspecting buyers. During a raid at Nagpal Body Maker in Dabwali, Haryana, five modified jeeps, valued at approximately 25 lakhs, were seized.
The Vigilance Bureau has registered case number 11 on 07/04/2025 against Naveen Kumar and Inderjeet Singh under various sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act, including Sections 7-A, 13(1)(A), 13(2), and other relevant sections. Naresh Kumar, the owner of Nagpal Body Maker, has also been arrested. Raids are being conducted to apprehend the remaining accused. During the investigation, if any involvement of RTA officials or other private individuals is discovered, they will also be named in the case.
