A major administrative crackdown has taken place at the Regional Transport Office in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, following allegations of systemic illegal extortion from vehicle owners and driving licence applicants. Following a surprise inspection triggered by multiple public complaints, the transport department suspended two Assistant Regional Transport Officers (ARTO) with immediate effect. Additionally, a formal show-cause notice was served to the Regional Transport Officer (RTO) Administration, while an FIR was registered against 15 individuals, including department staff and private middlemen.
Surprise Inspection and Interrogation of 50 People
The punitive measures were initiated on the direct instructions of Minister of State for Transport (Independent Charge) Dayashankar Singh. Acting on the directives of the District Magistrate, a joint inspection team headed by the Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police and a Joint Magistrate/Sub-Divisional Magistrate conducted an unannounced raid on the transport office premises. During the operation, officials rounded up around 50 individuals present on-site for detailed questioning. The enquiry helped pinpoint 11 suspicious individuals who were functioning as unauthorized touts, collecting unlawful fees from citizens applying for new vehicle registrations and driving licences.
Recovery of Cash and Involvement of Departmental Clerks
A physical search of the identified suspects led to the recovery of 43485 rupees in unaccounted cash. As investigators probed deeper into office routines, the involvement of two transport office clerks, identified as Madhur Mishra and Vipin Kumar, came to light. Following these findings, administration officials lodged a criminal complaint at the Kakadeo police station against 15 named individuals. The filing of the FIR has brought the supervisory role of senior departmental officers under strict scrutiny.
Overcharging Complaint by a Truck Driver
During the raid, a truck driver approached the inspecting team with a specific grievance regarding administrative overcharging. The driver stated that an office staff member collected 26750 rupees from him for official processing but handed him a payment receipt worth only 21750 rupees, effectively siphoning off 5000 rupees. Physical reconciliation of cash balances on the counters also revealed discrepancies. Based on these verified facts, the District Magistrate submitted a comprehensive inquiry report to the Transport Commissioner's Office.
Suspension of Two Senior ARTO Officers
The inspection report highlighted severe procedural irregularities, total failure in maintaining daily oversight, and inability to exercise administrative control over subordinate personnel. Consequent to these preliminary findings, the state authority placed ARTO Enforcement Phase III Somlata Yadav and ARTO Administration Alok Kumar under suspension.
Notice to RTO Administration and Ongoing Departmental Probe
Taking note of the administrative breakdown, authorities served a show-cause notice to RTO Administration Rakendra Singh, giving him 15 days to submit a formal written response to the government. The notice demands an explanation regarding how unauthorized agents operated inside the government premises with impunity. To ensure an independent enquiry, Deputy Transport Commissioner (Zone), Varanasi has been designated as the inquiry officer for the departmental probe. Throughout their suspension period, Somlata Yadav and Alok Kumar will remain attached to the Transport Department headquarters and receive subsistence allowance as per government rules.
Strict Warning and Directives from the Transport Minister
Emphasizing zero tolerance toward bribery, Transport Minister Dayashankar Singh reiterated that clear standing instructions exist against allowing unauthorized personnel inside transport offices. He described the collusion between officials and touts in Kanpur as an extremely serious offence. Dayashankar Singh stated, "Corruption, illegal recovery, and cheating the public will not be tolerated at any level in the transport department." He affirmed that strict disciplinary and criminal action will continue against any officer or worker found compromising departmental integrity.
