ES Reporter

 

NAHARLAGUN, Feb 28: The Capital Police has arrested five persons including a government official in a racket involving stolen vehicles and also seized ten vehicles—Creta (3), Scorpio(4), Fortuner (2) and Swift Dzire(1).

District Transport Officer (DTO) of Kurung Kumey district, Yomdo Yallo has been arrested for issuing fake car registration certificates (RC) along with four others who were involved in selling stolen cars. The four others arrested are Khogen Bora, Raju Tamang, Subhash Rai and Debia Tajum.  Accordingly, police has also registered two different cases according to the role and involvement, Superintendent of Police-Itanagar Capital Region, Jimmy Chiram said.

Addressing media persons at the Naharlagun police station today, the SP said that the series of arrests began when a police team intercepted a SUV (Fortuner) with fake registration certificate and tampered engine and chassis number during a motor vehicle checking.

During the investigation, the owner revealed that he bought the car from one Moni Gurung and Passang Tamang. Likewise, on further investigation, one Khogen Bora was arrested from Lakhimpur (Assam), who admitted that he bought the stolen cars from the duo.

“Upon his (Khogen Bora) disclosure three cars were recovered from various locations of the ICR. All the owners of the cars have been served notices U/S 41-A CrPC as they were aware that the cars were stolen,” Chiram said.

Raju Tamang, involved in making fake RC for the stolen cars during interrogation revealed that he served as an agent for one Debia Tajum of Nirjuli and both made registration certificates for multiple stolen cars as well as sold stolen cars. Subsequently Tajum was also arrested and based on his disclosure, it was learnt that he procured stolen vehicles from one Moti Ali from Lakhimpur and then prepared fake invoices through one Subhash Rai, Police said adding that the computer used to create the fake invoices has been seized.

The District Transport Officer was issuing fake RC and working alongside Subhash Rai. The official facilitated in creating fake car documents for the nine cars seized by the police, the SP said.

“The DTO used non-existing engine and chassis number, created back data of the stolen car and later registered it in the VAHAN portal to bypass all the regulations imposed by the government,” Chiram said adding that the police also uncovered a racket to register BS4 vehicles with same modus operandi.

The SP appealed to the public to refrain from buying high-end cars online as it may lead them to trouble. Buyers should be very cautious and check all the documents properly, he added.