Early Times Report
Jammu, May 8: A scam of converting licenses of light motor vehicles into heavy motor vehicles by editing the details of the license holders in Regional Transport Office (RTO) Jammu has been reportedly pushed under the carpet.
Sources told Early Times that “the scam came to fore after the sleuths of the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) raided the RTO office Jammu in January 2019 and seized some records. Following the seizure of records investigations were conducted and subsequently FIR No. 17/ 2019 was registered in July 2019.”
On 26 August, 2019 Director Prosecution ACB sent a letter No. ACB-FIR-17/2019-ACB-J-10360-62 to Commissioner Secretary Transport and Commissioner Secretary Revenue Department recommending action against the accused junior assistant who had edited a light motor vehicle license into a heavy motor vehicle license of another accused, who was appointed as a driver in the Revenue Department,” the sources added.
Insiders revealed that soon after the Transport Commissioner received a letter from the ACB he ordered a departmental enquiry against the accused under order no. 104-TC of 2019 dated 23/10/2019. He appointed RTO Kathua as an inquiry officer. The accused junior assistant was transferred to RTO Samba as “punishment.” “But the higher ups realized that it was no punishment and it has not gone well with the staff the accused was attached with the office of Transport Commissioner,” they added.
Insiders said that Regional Transport Officer Kathua who was appointed as the inquiry officer by the Transport Commissioner submitted his inquiry report on February 12, 2020. “In his enquiry report the RTO Lakhanpur submitted th Transport Department pushes matter under carpet
Insiders said, “It has been more than three months when the inquiry officer submitted his report and recommended action. Till date no action ahs been initiated against the accused and it looks like that every attempt is being made to push this scandal under the carpet.”
Sources said that the accused junior assistant is so “powerful” that despite him being transferred from RTO Jammu to RTO Lakhanpur in 2018, he was not relieved from his place of posting.
The then Transport Commissioner after being miffed over the transfer order not being implemented had issued another order no. 47-TC dated 19/04/2018, which stated: “It has come to the notice of undersigned that the order no. 17-TC of 2018 dated 5/02/2018 issued under the endorsement No. TC/JKEstt/748-83 in which fourteen (14) junior assistants were transferred has not been fully complied with. The three junior assistants still continue to work in the Regional Transport Office Jammu.”
“It’s hereby ordered that the three junior assistants must join their respective places of postings as per the above referred order. It is further ordered that the drawal of their salaries and other benefits be stopped w.e.f 19th April, 2018 from their present place of postings. Failure to join their new places of postings by 20th April 2018 shall make them liable for attracting clauses of break in service.”
Sources said that despite such a strong worded order the accused involved in the “license scam” continued to remain posted at RTO Jammu. | 