Lakhimpur Kheri (UP), March 11 A tout was ordered to be booked and the contract of a computer operator was terminated after alleged malpractice was detected during a surprise inspection at the Assistant Regional Transport Office (ARTO) here, officials said.
Chief Development Officer Abhishek Kumar carried out the inspection at the direction of District Magistrate Durga Shakti Nagpal on Tuesday to review public services at the ARTO office.
Officials said Kumar apprehended a tout identified as Ravi at the office gate.
During questioning, Ravi admitted to taking Rs 2,000 from Ishtiyaq, a resident of the Behjam area, to facilitate the transfer of his vehicle's registration. The CDO directed officials to lodge an FIR against him.
During interaction with visitors inside the office, Kumar also found that a computer operator, Quamar Ali, had charged Rs 1,500 from a person named Shubham for upgrading his driving licence instead of the prescribed fee of Rs 400.
Taking serious note of the overcharging, Kumar ordered the termination of the operator's contract.
He also directed disciplinary proceedings against a junior clerk, Ashish Srivastava, for delaying the cancellation of a vehicle's hypothecation since last November without a satisfactory explanation, officials said.
Hypothecation of a vehicle means a vehicle that is purchased on loan, where the lender has a legal claim until the loan is repaid.