Kochi: The Motor Vehicle Department has formed a special squad headed by the Joint Transport Commissioner (Enforcement) to detect vehicles registered in Puducherry under fake addresses. “We’ve formed a squad with nearly 100 MVD officials which will base its operations out of four regional transport offices at Thiruvananthapuram, Ernakulam, Thrissur and Kozhikode,” a senior MVD officer said. The operations at each of the four zones will be led by the respective Enforcement RTOs and the exercise will be carried out in tie up with the Crime Branch and Kerala police departments.
“The vehicles with Puducherry registrations in each of the regions will be checked to detect whether the same was done using fake address and documents. Upon finding out such cases, the same will be handed over to the Crime Branch who will take action as per the IPC and CrPC Acts. We’ll seize the vehicles acting under the Motor Vehicle Act,” the officer said. The squad has been directed to check whether the owners also indulged in tax evasion.
“In some cases, the registration in Puducherry was done in proper way, but the owners fail to re-register here under the stipulated period. Action will also be taken against such persons,” he said. Meanwhile, the Crime Branch has issued notices to actors Amala Paul and Fahadh Fazil to appear in person before them and submit explanation with regard to charges of tax evasion. The action was taken following a complaint received by DGP Loknath Behera. A primary probe revealed that they made fake rental address and insurance documents to register their luxury vehicles in Puducherry, thereby, evading tax to the tune of '20,000 payable to the state treasury.
