Madras HC directs Chennai police to book RTO officials for registering banned BS-IV vehicles

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has directed the Greater Chennai Police to register an FIR against RTO officers who issued registration certificates to BS-IV emission vehicles, following a submission by the government advocate that many officers allowed the registration of BS-IV emission vehicles and allowed them to ply on roads.

Justice GK Ilanthiraiyan issued the directive based on a petition by road safety activist S Devadoss Gandhi Wilson, seeking an inquiry against Transport Department officials for the bogus registration of vehicles with BS IV-emission after March 2020, against government norms.

The Supreme Court had directed that no BS IV (Bharat Stage-IV) vehicles can be sold or registered in India from April 1, 2020. This was done to align India's emission standards with the European norms and reduce pollution levels.

The Transport Commissioner informed the court that between November 2020 and September 2022, more than 290 BS IV vehicles and 25 other vehicles were fraudulently registered in Chennai by taking advantage of the backlog entry through fake user ID and the concerned RTO had directed the cancellation of the RCs, in response to another petition by a car owner, whose vehicle was seized.

Petitioner Devadoss had also written to the Transport Department last year stating that the 315 vehicles mentioned by the department were registered only in one RTO branch and that there are several other vehicles registered through other RTOs.

The high court has directed the authorities concerned to file a status report by the next hearing on June 5.