HYDERABAD: The Telangana High Court on Friday issued notices to senior officials in a contempt case alleging violation of its earlier directions regarding traffic enforcement and e-challan recovery.
Justice N V Shravan Kumar passed the order while hearing a petition claiming that Hyderabad traffic police unlawfully seized a vehicle despite clear court instructions prohibiting coercive action for pending challans.
Notices have been served to the Home Secretary, the Director General of Police (DGP), Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic), Hyderabad, the Transport Commissioner, and personnel of Chikkadpally traffic police station.
The matter has been posted to June 19 for further hearing. According to the petitioner, V Raghvendra Chary, represented by advocate R Vijay Gopal, the high court had earlier, through orders issued in January, directed authorities not to adopt coercive measures such as seizing vehicles in cases involving pending traffic challans. Instead, officials were instructed to initiate legal proceedings by filing charge-sheets before competent courts.
However, it was alleged that on April 9, at RTC ‘X’ Roads, traffic police personnel from Chikkadpally stopped the petitioner, seized his scooter, and took away the keys citing unpaid challans.
The incident reportedly occurred while the petitioner, a practising advocate, was on his way to court. Police also alleged that he had not properly fastened his helmet.
The petitioner further claimed that officials refused to accept the digital Registration Certificate (RC) available through the mParivahan (RTA M-Wallet) and instead confiscated the original RC document.
It was also alleged that he was publicly humiliated despite expressing willingness to clear the pending dues.
The counsel argued that the actions of the traffic police amounted to a direct violation of the high court’s orders as well as provisions under the Central Motor Vehicles Rules.