manoj

EVEN AS Alistair Perreira, accused in the Carter Road rash driving case, was being re-arrested by the police for producing forged documents to procure a motor driving licence, hundreds of licence agents, motor training schools and touts continued to churn out licences presenting fake papers.

Perreira has been charged under sections 465, 466, 468, 471 and 420 of the Indian Penal Code.

He was apparently able to procure a driving licence when he was 15 years old by producing forged documents, including a fake School Leaving Certificate.

“The growing number of motor training schools, flourishing agents and local RTO officials form a network,” says Deepak Kapadia, presi dent of Western India Auto Association. “It’s very easy to get one through the motor driving schools, where often one doesn’t even have to appear for a test.” Sources say it is very easy to get any number of licences in one person’s name.

When one applies for a learner’s motor driving licence with any motor training school, the school gives basic training, collects documents and hands it over to its agent, who then gets them signed by their RTO contacts.

Once signed, the papers are cleared and a learner’s licence is issued. The school then issues a certificate, and the same procedure is repeated again to get a permanent motor driving licence.

“Whenever there is a traffic offence, we seize the offender’s licence and there are two lakh licences lying in my office, which people never come to collect. Do you want to believe that these two lakh people have not got a fresh licence?” asked Satish Mathur, joint commissioner (traffic).

“Digitisation of RTO is the solution. If there is a proper computerised database, it would be easier to track down traffic offences of an individual,” he added.

Source: http://epaper.hindustantimes.com (Mumbai Edition)
Date Of Publish: 08-Dec-06

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