Organized Toll Fraud in Lucknow: 800 Trucks Evade Penalties with Forged Numbers
Toll theft in Lucknow: 800 trucks slip through with forged vehicle numbers to dodge penalties
Hindustan Times
Image: Hindustan Times
In Lucknow, India, nearly 800 overloaded trucks reportedly evaded toll penalties using forged registration numbers over two months, leading to significant revenue losses for the government. The scheme, suspected to involve toll staff collusion, was uncovered following an interception by transport officials at the Nawabganj toll plaza.
- 01Approximately 800 trucks used fake registration numbers to bypass tolls in Lucknow.
- 02Drivers paid bribes of ₹500 to ₹700 instead of facing penalties of around ₹20,000.
- 03The scam involved manipulation of the FASTag system for toll transactions.
- 04An FIR has been registered against a truck driver and an unidentified toll employee.
- 05The fraud poses risks for law enforcement and public safety, complicating vehicle tracking.
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In a significant toll fraud case in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India, nearly 800 overloaded trucks managed to evade penalties by using fabricated vehicle registration numbers over a period of two months. This organized scheme, suspected to involve collusion from toll staff, was brought to light when Alok Kumar Yadav, the assistant regional transport officer (ARTO) (enforcement), intercepted a truck at the Nawabganj toll plaza on the Kanpur-Lucknow highway. The vehicle's actual registration number was found to be UP32ZN8925, while the toll receipt displayed a fake number: MA34S9455.
Regional transport officer (RTO) (enforcement) Prabhat Pandey indicated that the scam allowed drivers to pay nominal toll fees of ₹500 to ₹700 instead of facing penalties that could reach ₹20,000 for overloading, plus additional charges of ₹2,000 per extra tonne. Some trucks were reportedly overloaded by as much as 10 tonnes. The investigation is also scrutinizing potential manipulation of the FASTag system, which electronically links toll transactions to vehicle registrations. An FIR has been filed against a truck driver and an unidentified toll employee, highlighting the serious implications of this fraud for law enforcement and public safety, as it complicates tracking vehicles involved in criminal incidents.
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This toll fraud not only results in significant revenue losses for the government but also raises concerns about public safety and law enforcement's ability to track vehicles involved in criminal activities.
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