Karnataka: RTOs use touts to stop outstation vehicles?

Bengaluru: Owners of vehicles with registration numbers from other states are allegedly being harassed by RTO officials. After the Karnataka High Court vacated a stay on collection of road tax, the RTO officials have only intensified the drive. Vehicle owners are not only questioning the road tax collection, but also the methods adopted to collect it. RTO officials are also allegedly using touts to stop vehicle owners and make them pay.

Mr Krishna Kumar P.G., who was driving a Haryana registered vehicle, said, “A few days ago, I was driving my Verna from EPIP Area (Near Whitefield) to my residence with my wife. A few touts jumped all over my car opposite GR Tech Park near ITPL, ordered us to get out of the vehicle and meet the road transport officials, who were near a jeep a little distance away. One of the touts even took the ID card that was inside our car. The RTO official told me that my car would be impounded if I did not produce the ID card as it was the only original document that I had. We were accosted around 6 pm and we were worried as we had left our children with a maid.”

He said, “I surrendered my ID as I was worried about the safety of my family. It is shameful that we are treated like criminals by officers and some touts.”

Mr Waseem Menon, member of the Non-Karnataka Registered Owners Association, said, “Instead of RTO officials putting up proper barricades, touts literally jump in front of the vehicles to stop them. There are instances where vehicle users have been made to sign an affidavit stating that they would never repeat such an offense or would never return to this state again. This is against the law and it can be done only with the consent of the court. In yet another instance, RTO notices were found pasted on vehicles in the private parking lot of an apartment, asking vehicle owners to pay the road tax at the nearest RTO. They don’t have the right to enter a private property and harass people.”

Denying all such incidents, Transport Commissioner Ramegowda said, “Who is going to hire these touts and pay them? We have not used any touts. Besides, we do not take any affidavit as undertakings. The department has not issued any notice individually. It could be the apartment association doing it as there is much awareness on paying the road tax. I don’t understand why should there be such a hue and cry, when all they need to do is cooperate and pay the road tax.”