The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Raids on regional transport offices, documents seized

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Jul 15, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Raids on regional transport offices, documents seized

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI, JULY 14. Officials of the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption today conducted surprise raids on Regional Transport Offices in Coimbatore, Tirunelveli and Tiruchi districts.

In Coimbatore city, Rs.12,700 unaccounted money and 41 documents found in possession of two touts, three bags containing Rs.26,850 and 15 registration certificate books left abandoned, were seized in front of the office. Sleuths conducted surprise checks in the Coimbatore North and South offices. A team entered the office on Dr.Balasundaram Road in the post-lunch session and conducted searches for nearly three hours. A couple of persons, "suspected to be brokers" and found moving around under suspicious circumstances, were arrested, as they had on them more than one application or registration certificate book.

Cash totalling Rs.8,533, a cellular phone and 32 documents were seized from four touts in Tirunelveli. A team descended on the office in the NGO colony around 12.30 p.m. and detained eight persons. On interrogation, four persons were found to be brokers.

In the Srirangam office, Rs.19,590 in cash, which was found abandoned, was seized. Two teams led by officials of Thanjavur district conducted raids in Tiruchi and Srirangam. The raids, which began at noon, continued well past 8.30 p.m. The officials conducted enquiries into transactions that took place in the offices. Cash in possession of staff members was tallied with the accruals from the transactions of the day. Six brokers in the Mannapuram RTO were questioned.

Sleuths also conducted surprise checks at Perambalur. Separate cases were registered and investigation was on, according to a DVAC release. Officials seized some documents on cash transactions between touts and officials. Sources said violations, including in the issue of learner's licence rule (LLR) certificates, were detected. A team of 15 officials conducted the operation for about six hours.

In Karur, operations, which commenced around noon, lasted till evening. Though no arrests were made, some incriminating documents were seized. Officials and brokers, who usually throng the RTO office complex, were taken by surprise as the sleuths swooped down on them.

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