Berhampur Police Nabs 2 RTO Officials, 3 Agents for Illegal Money Collection from Trucks on NH

Berhampur: In a crackdown, the Berhampur Police arrested five persons including two senior RTO officials for allegedly involving in organized money collection from heavy transport vehicles plying through National Highway 16.

The RTO officials, who have been arrested, have been identified as K.Venketesh, Additional RTO, Ganjam and Ratikanta Nahak, Junior MVI, Ganjam. Three agents are Bharat Kumar Sahu (31) and Rabindra Sahu, (36) of Girisola village under Golanthara PS and B.Vijay Kumar, (30) of Aminsahebpeta village under Ichhapuram Town PS of Srikakulam district of Andhra Pradesh.

Golanthara Police station under Berhampur district Police received a credible information that some youth of village Girisola are illegally and dishonestly collecting huge money from trucks plying through N.H-16, with a promise that they will ensure smooth passage of their vehicles without any checking or legal troubles by RTO officials of Ganjam along the NH-16.

Acting upon such tipoff Golanthara Police team under the leadership of IIC Bibekananda Swain reached the spot near Hanuman Temple of Girisola around 9 PM and noticed that four youth were detaining the transport vehicles and collecting money. The police detained three miscreants while one person managed to escape from the spot seeing police, according to Berhampur SP Dr. Saravana Vivek M.

Fourth person who ran away from the spot was Jeja Rao @ Azam of village Girisola.

Upon interrogation all the three detained persons revealed that all of them were working on behalf of RTO office Ganjam officials namely N.K Chhinira, Ex TI, Chatrapur K.Venketesh, Additional RTO, Ganjam and Ratikanta Nahak, Junior MVI, Ganjam. They were collecting money from the trucks and Trucks who pay money are guaranteed no checking by RTO officials along the National Highway-16. Later the collected money will be given to the above RTO officials through cash or online transactions to any members which the above officials share them through WhatsApp.

For this operation the above two officials added their “agents” in WhatsApp groups where the officials were members. Details of trucks who pay money will be shared in their WhatsApp group so that, they won’t be checked by RTO officials on NH-16.

Each Truck was paying Rs.700 to 2000 according to their load. Later the money collected illegally were shared to the RTO officials through online to accounts shared by them.

Golanthara PS case No. 507 Dtd. 25.11.2024 U/S 319(2)/318(4)/61(2) /316(5)/ 3(5) BNS / Section 7/7A/8/12 of the Prevention of Corruption Act,1988 has been registered against the agents along with Govt. officials K.Venketesh, Additional RTO, Ganjam and Ratikanta Nahak, Junior MVI, Ganjam and N.K Chinara, Ex TI of Ganjam.

Further investigation is underway in the matter, added the Berhampur SP.