Officials Warn Against Buying Aged Delhi Vehicles; Many Cheated in AP
Once deregistered, these vehicles are not eligible for fresh registration and must be scrapped
TIRUPATI: AP’s Transport department has launched a drive against deregistered vehicles from Delhi being sold in Andhra Pradesh using forged registration and insurance documents, after identifying several such vehicles in Tirupati district.
According to officials, diesel vehicles older than 10 years and petrol vehicles more than 15 years’ old are being permanently deregistered in Delhi in compliance with the Supreme Court directives and National Green Tribunal norms. Once deregistered, these vehicles are not eligible for fresh registration and must be scrapped.
Officials said unscrupulous elements are transporting these vehicles to southern states. They are selling them to the gullible with forged registration certificates, fake insurance policies, and other fabricated documents.
During a recent inspection, the department seized one such deregistered Delhi vehicle in Tirupati district. Motor vehicle inspector Srinivasa Rao detected the vehicle and shifted it to the Mangalam depot for further action. He said several similar cases have come to the department's notice in recent months.
Officials say buyers are often attracted by the low prices and apparently good condition of these vehicles. The fraud comes to light during inspections by the Transport department or checks by police or after an accident. Once the documents are detected as fake, the vehicle is seized and sent for scrapping, leaving the purchaser to bear the financial loss.
A Tirupati resident had bought one such SUV for about ₹6 lakh earlier this year. "The dealer showed me registration and insurance documents that appeared genuine. I had no reason to suspect anything. My vehicle got seized during a recent verification drive. Now, I have lost both the vehicle and my money," he said.
Tirupati district Transport officer K. Murali Mohan has advised buyers to verify the registration status, ownership details, tax payments, and insurance of second-hand vehicles through the VAHAN portal or at the nearest Transport department office before making a purchase. "Buyers should ensure that the registration, chassis, and engine numbers match the official records," he said.
He asked the public to exercise caution while purchasing vehicles offered at unusually low prices, particularly those brought from Delhi or other states. He said deregistered vehicles detected during inspections would be seized. Legal action would also be initiated against those responsible under the Motor Vehicles Act.
