HC raps state over superbike scam

The Bombay High Court on Wednesday observed that a big racket is involved in the superbike import scam and asked the state if it is trying to cover it up.

The counsel appearing for the RTO officials told the court that proceedings against RTO officials should be dropped as they are not involved in the scam. The court,however,pointed out that this is such a big racket and how can RTO officials not be involved.

The High Court had taken a suo motu notice based on a newspaper report on the multi-crore bogus registration scam and had ordered action against the errant officials.

Reports filed by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) mentioned that import documents on the basis of which bikes were registered by RTOs in Raigad,Thane,and suburban Andheri are fake in many cases. There are around 640 such cases as per the police investigation.

However,the primary probe report filed by Pandurang More,deputy superintendent of police,Raigad,says that there were some irregularities. Advocate Aspi Chinoy,appointed by the court as amicus curie,had earlier submitted that this was not matter of irregularities,but a criminal conspiracy involving RTO officials.

The Division Bench led by Justice F I Rebello on Wednesday asked the police to file the investigation report by June 23. In August 2009,the court had asked the principal secretary of transport department to take action against three RTO officials. The secretarys report had indicted the RTO officials A R Shaikh,E G Khandale and Bajrang Kharmate.

We will file the investigation report in two weeks, said assistant state government pleader Nitin Deshpande.

Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram

Tags:
Mumbai