Delhi residents accuse ‘scrapping mafia’ and officers of taking away their vehicles for scrapping with out issuing discover

In March of this yr, the Delhi authorities, led by CM Arvind Kejriwal, initiated a marketing campaign to impound end-of-life automobiles (ELV) or just overage automobiles plying on roads or parked in personal areas. This, nonetheless, has change into a priority for a lot of residents of the nationwide capital, as they’ve alleged that their automobiles have been towed away and shifted to scrapyards with out prior discover by Delhi Transport Department officers and scrapping businesses.

The marketing campaign was launched on March 29, of this yr, in view of the 2014 order of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) and a 2018 Supreme Court order stating that automobiles older than 15 years must be deregistered and barred from working within the nationwide capital area to fight air pollution.

Recently, many individuals opened up about their automobiles being impounded by the authorities regardless of having legitimate registration certificates (RCs) and in lots of circumstances with out informing them. As part of its “Old Car Not Bekaar” marketing campaign, Times Group’s Mirror Now spoke to a number of individuals, who alleged that their automobiles have been taken away even from gated societies with none prior discover regardless of having legitimate registration certificates and health certificates. Calling it a ‘scrapping mafia’, they even alleged impounded automobiles are being returned by the scrapping businesses and transport officers in change for cash.

In one of many episodes, Mirror Now talked to a Supreme Court lawyer and a company worker who alleged that the Delhi authorities’s marketing campaign is mired in corruption involving the scrap mafias. They claimed that their automobiles have been impounded even after having legitimate RCs.

“We are victims of the scrap mafia work which is going on in Delhi in the name of NGT and Supreme Court order. This is a clear case of extortion whereby they are picking up even the vehicles which have valid RCs and fitness certificates. My vehicle had valid registration for the next five years,” Supreme Court lawyer Shanta Kumar Mahale stated. 

He additional stated that the automobiles are being forcefully taken away even from gated societies and personal properties. Mahale additional claimed that within the society the place he resides, greater than 18 to twenty automobiles have been impounded in a single day. Alleging a “misuse” of the NGT and Supreme Court orders, Mahale stated that the authorities usually are not contemplating the legitimate RCs and that the automobiles are parked on personal land in gated societies. “They did not even allow us to take away our belongings,” Mahale stated.

MCD officers hand-in-glove with ELV scrapping “mafia”

Moreover, Advocate Mahale alleged that one scrapping company named Pineview is a “scrapping mafia” and is hand-in-glove with the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) officers.

“After my vehicle was illegally taken away, I had approached the MCD South Shahdara zone officials, I met the assistant commissioner, and deputy commissioner there. I had given it in the writing about my vehicle being taken away, that it was not moving but parked. My plea was not heard. My written complaint and those of my co-residents didn’t matter to them. After five-six visits to the assistant commissioner and deputy commissioner south Shahdara office, they asked me to contact Pineview (the ELV scrapping agency),” Mahale stated. 

The Supreme Court lawyer claimed that he was requested to observe the indications given by Pineview after which it’s as much as them to launch the automobile. Shanta Kumar Mahale additional alleged that when he visited the Pineview workplace to get his automobile launched, he was requested to pay Rs 15,000. 

“I was completely left at the mercy of Pineview. When I went to their office, they said that we can release your vehicle but you will have to pay Rs 15,000 in cash and we will not give any receipt. This is simply the margin we pay to the MCD and you know some kind of taxes that we do,” Mahale claimed. 

He added that the company was reluctant to supply a receipt in change for the fee if they’re paying some taxes. He additionally claimed to have a witness of the incident and video proof. Mahale additionally stated that he discovered his automobile in a broken state after paying the quantity requested. “I noticed that the front glass and fuel were stolen,” Mahale claimed.

Another Supreme Court lawyer stated that his automobile was towed away on February 27, when he was arguing a matter in Supreme Court. Some folks he referred to as “goondas” got here to his home, and handed a receipt to his spouse saying that this automobile needs to be taken away. They didn’t even anticipate him to return again and take his necessary case recordsdata stored contained in the automobile. 

Similar allegations are being made by many others on social media. Advocate Amit Rajora of the Supreme Court and Delhi High Court has posted a number of tweets alleging illegalities by Pineview and govt officers. “Pinview technology pvt ltd is fraud scrapping company and MCD is involved in this fraud. its scam of crores of rupees there is no SOP of Pineview company,” he alleged in a single tweet.

Pinview know-how pvt ltd is fraud scrapping firm and mcd @dcshahsouth is concerned on this fraud. its rip-off of crores of rupees there is no such thing as a SOP of pineview firm @MCD_Delhi @DelhiPolice @CMODelhi @dtptraffic @LtGovDelhi @NGTribunal @nitin_gadkari @ pic.twitter.com/zlHt4bxG9Z

— ADVOCATE AMIT RAJORA 🇮🇳 (@AdvocateRajora) March 28, 2023

Earlier in April, an FIR was registered towards MCD’s Additional Commissioner and Bharat Scrap Facility, one other scrapping company, for taking away automobiles for scrapping with out following correct process.

He additionally posted police complaints the automobile homeowners have filed accusing the scrapping firm and transport officers of theft.

The affected folks opined that the authorities would not have the precise to enter personal properties and take away the automobiles. The NGT order solely pertains to ELVs parked in public areas. 

Reacting to the problem, BJP MP Ramesh Bidhuri alleged that it is a rip-off and the automobiles of Delhi persons are being forcibly taken away and offered in different states.