Lokayukta police crack down on RTO checkposts across state in pre-dawn raids

BENGALURU: The Lokayukta police raided several checkposts of the Regional Transport Offices across the state on Friday and recovered unaccounted cash in some places.

RTO officials being questioned at Attibele.

Following several complaints, a team of 20 policemen, led by Lokayukta SP Srinath Joshi raided the Attibele RTO in Bengaluru at 4 am and seized several documents. Some private individuals were also taken into custody.

Unaccounted cash was found at the Humnabad checkpost.

The ARTO checkpost on the outskirts of Humnabad on NH-9 in Bidar district was raided following complaints of fleecing of motorists. The Lokayukta officials found over Rs 1 lakh in unaccounted cash and seized it.

The Dhulkhed checkpost on the Maharashtra border.

In Vijayapura, the Dhulkhed checkpost on the Karnataka-Maharashtra border was raided and Rs 3-4 lakh cash was recovered. Four Home Guards were also questioned.

In Hosapete, no RTO officials were present at the checkpost when the Lokayukta team arrived.

Based on complaints that drivers of heavy vehicles and others were being fleeced, a Lokayukta police team raided the RTO checkpost near the Shaneshwara temple on the outskirts of Hosapete in the wee hours. However, no one was present at the checkpost at that time.

The Kognolli checkpost in Nippani taluk.

Based on similar complaints, the checkpost at Kognoalli in Nippani taluk, Belagavi district, on NH-7 was also raided.

The Nangali checkpost in Mulbagal taluk.

In Kolar, the RTO checkpost at Nangali in Mulbagal taluk was raided and documents were seized. Here too, there were allegations that inter-state vehicle drivers were being fleeced.