Stolen Vehicle Registration Racket Uncovered in Bilaspur RLA, Senior Assistant Arrested
A major racket of registering stolen vehicles using forged documents has been uncovered at the Bilaspur Regional Licensing and Registration Authority (RLA) office in Himachal Pradesh. Delhi Police’s Crime Branch has arrested a senior assistant posted in Bilaspur. The accused was presented in court and sent to seven days of police remand.
Investigations reveal that this is an inter-state syndicate with links to RLA offices in Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, and other states. The Delhi Crime Branch had been tracking an inter-state vehicle theft gang for a long time, and crucial leads connected to Bilaspur emerged during the probe. Stolen vehicles were being registered in Bilaspur RLA using forged documents. When officials asked for the original records, the accused failed to provide them and was subsequently arrested.
Investigating officers say several other officials and staff members could also be part of the syndicate. The police are trying to extract the names of the main operatives running the entire network. Preliminary investigations have revealed evidence of large payments and illegal collection in exchange for fake registrations. The accused was earlier posted as a Dealing Hand in the RLA branch and allegedly manipulated chassis numbers and documents during that period.
Vehicle registration in Himachal has been controversial in the past as well. In 2021, former cricketer Virender Sehwag faced political criticism for registering his luxury Mercedes in Nurpur. Sources say that several high-profile individuals register luxury vehicles in Himachal to avail tax benefits. Low registration fees and local documents are often exploited to complete formalities, with fake residence certificates and rent deeds also being used in some cases.
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