In a significant crackdown on corruption within the transport department, the Rajasthan government has suspended Regional Transport Officer (RTO) of Dausa, Jagdish Amrawat, following the discovery of massive irregularities in the allocation of VIP vehicle numbers.
Major Scam Uncovered in Number Allocation System
The suspension came on Monday after a departmental investigation exposed serious malpractices in the seven-digit vehicle number system. Officials confirmed that a collusion of department employees was involved in illegally issuing old and VIP numbers in the Sawai Madhopur district, which falls under the jurisdiction of the Dausa RTO.
Shockingly, the investigation revealed that these prestigious numbers were being allocated to non-existent vehicles, indicating a well-organized racket operating within the system. The scale of the scam became apparent when authorities discovered that approximately 400 officials were potentially involved in the fraudulent activities.
RTO's Failure to Report Seals His Fate
The transport department headquarters had specifically requested a detailed report from RTO Jagdish Amrawat regarding the irregular allocation of numbers. However, Amrawat failed to submit the investigation report, which the department considered an act of serious negligence.
This failure to comply with the departmental directive ultimately led to the recommendation of his suspension to the state government. A senior official emphasized the government's stance, stating, "We will conduct a thorough investigation into the number allocation and take strict action against all the culprits."
Historical Context and Ongoing Investigations
This issue first came to light in March when RTO Jaipur (I) discovered suspicious backlog transactions being recorded in the system. Authorities realized that vintage vehicle numbers were being illegally sold through unauthorized channels.
The current investigation has further exposed irregularities in the management of number backlogs, with evidence suggesting that numbers were systematically issued to vehicles that didn't exist in official records.
The transport department has now intensified its probe into the matter, with indications that more suspensions and disciplinary actions might follow as the investigation uncovers the full extent of the corruption network.
