HC directs CID to submit preliminary report today
STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI: Can a truck (lorry) be used to transport petroleum products?
A Writ Petition filed in the Gauhati High Court has led to the revelation that some trucks were not only officially registered as oil tankers and issued explosives licenses, but even later converted and hired for transporting oil under the Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL).
Not only that, the District Transport Officer (DTO) of Karbi Anglong informed the court that he had signed the registration document of one such vehicle on the basis of documents placed before him by his subordinate Motor Vehicle Inspector (MVI). Similarly, the Deputy Controller of Explosives, Guwahati also admitted before the court that he had issued explosives licenses without physically examining the vehicles.
Consequently, a Single Bench of the High Court has directed both the officials to file separate affidavits in connection with their respective oral submissions.
Further, the Bench has directed the Secretary of Assam's Transport Department to also file an affidavit "stating as to whether it is an accepted procedure in the Transport Department that the DTO is required to issue registration certificates without even bothering to look at whether the vehicle is actually the vehicle for which the registration certificate is issued".
In the meantime, the Bench directed the IOCL not to accept such vehicles for the purpose of its contract work. The IOCL has been also asked to produce the registration certificate and the explosive license granted to a specific vehicle (AS-01-NC-8864) "for examination by the Court as to whether such license and registration were granted prior to the production of the vehicle in the present form".
Significantly, the Bench has directed the Additional Senior Government Advocate to take the matter up with the Crime Investigation Department (CID). Moreover, the counsel has been asked to "submit a report after making an inquiry as to whether it is an established procedure that vehicles are registered by the office of the DTO and licenses are issued by the Deputy Controller of Explosives without even the vehicle taking the form by which it is described in the respective registration certificate or the license… As it is already noticed that the offending vehicle bearing registration No AS-09-AC-9075 had obtained its registration certificate and the license from the Deputy Controller of Explosives as a tanker lorry even prior to the vehicle being given the form of a tanker lorry, the CID may seize the said vehicle and also inquire in the matter from the owner of the vehicle as to how the registration certificate and the license issued by the Deputy Controller of Explosives were obtained in respect of the vehicle bearing registration No.AS-09-AC-9075".
The Bench has directed that a preliminary report in this connection be submitted before it by the CID on Friday, December 9.
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