Indiscriminate challans by cops challenged in State High Court

Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court single bench of Justice N V Shravan Kumar on Thursday, while hearing a writ, directed the Hyderabad Joint Commissioner of Police and traffic police to respond to the notice within a week.

The petitioner, V Raghavendra Chary, a private employee, was aggrieved by the traffic police issuing indiscriminate challans imposing excess fines, contrary to limits prescribed in the MV Act, 1988. Charry was issued a challan of Rs.1,200 levied on his two-wheeler for “triple riding.” Through his counsel, he contended before the court that Sec. 177 of the Act only permits a fine in the range of Rs.100-300 for such offence. The police, in contravention of the rule, imposed a fine of Rs. 1,200; when asked reason for such challan, there was no response.

Counsel Vijay Gopal further contended that the police had been on a spree of imposing illegal challans running into thousands of rupees contrary to rules in vogue. This was to generate income for the department. Rather than imposing such heavy fines against motorists, the police should concentrate on traffic regulation. After hearing Gopal, Justice Kumar directed the government pleader (home) to pass on the directions to the police to respond with an explanation.