AURANGABAD: The state additional director general of police, traffic, Kulwant Kumar Sarangalhas issued a communication to traffic police personnel across Maharashtra, asking them to refrain from using personal mobile phones for clicking photographs of traffic violators.
He has further asked commissioners and superintendents of police to ensure that all the traffic police use only the e-challan devices that have been provided to them officially for clicking pictures of the violators and issuing challan.
“Appropriate action should be initiated against the traffic police personnel found using personal mobile phones for clicking photos of violators,” warned the communication issued on Thursday.
The letter, citing an earlier communication dated March 2, 2020, to all the nodal officers as well as the unit commanders, states, “While taking penal action against the erring vehicle drivers, the action will be taken through the e-challan machine without using one’s own private mobile phone to take pictures.”
ADG Sarangal, citing specific complaints received by his office, said that while taking penal action against the delinquent drivers in some police units, the police officers/enforcers take a photo of the vehicle on their private mobile phone and upload it on the e-challan machine along with the photo of the number plate only. However, they do not upload the complete photo of the vehicle, thus making it impossible to identify the vehicle.
A senior police officer said, “Some traffic police personnel click pictures of violators on their mobile phones and there are allegations that such pictures are used for seeking bribes. When they don’t get the bribe, they use the e-challan machine to click the picture of the photo taken on their mobile phone and issue a challan.
However, the traffic police contested that sometimes the e-challan machine runs out of battery, and they are left with no option other than clicking the photos from their personal mobile phones.
Reacting to it, ADG Sarangal maintained that the traffic police facing issues with the e-challan machine should contact nodal officers and the handheld machine’s service providers.
He has further asked commissioners and superintendents of police to ensure that all the traffic police use only the e-challan devices that have been provided to them officially for clicking pictures of the violators and issuing challan.
“Appropriate action should be initiated against the traffic police personnel found using personal mobile phones for clicking photos of violators,” warned the communication issued on Thursday.
The letter, citing an earlier communication dated March 2, 2020, to all the nodal officers as well as the unit commanders, states, “While taking penal action against the erring vehicle drivers, the action will be taken through the e-challan machine without using one’s own private mobile phone to take pictures.”
ADG Sarangal, citing specific complaints received by his office, said that while taking penal action against the delinquent drivers in some police units, the police officers/enforcers take a photo of the vehicle on their private mobile phone and upload it on the e-challan machine along with the photo of the number plate only. However, they do not upload the complete photo of the vehicle, thus making it impossible to identify the vehicle.
A senior police officer said, “Some traffic police personnel click pictures of violators on their mobile phones and there are allegations that such pictures are used for seeking bribes. When they don’t get the bribe, they use the e-challan machine to click the picture of the photo taken on their mobile phone and issue a challan.
However, the traffic police contested that sometimes the e-challan machine runs out of battery, and they are left with no option other than clicking the photos from their personal mobile phones.
Reacting to it, ADG Sarangal maintained that the traffic police facing issues with the e-challan machine should contact nodal officers and the handheld machine’s service providers.
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