Navi Mumbai: Panvel RTO agent held for allegedly demanding Rs 4,500 bribe from driving school operator

Vilas Ganpati Sengar, the accused. Pic/By Special Arrangement

A routine attempt to transfer an auto-rickshaw permit allegedly turned into a Rs 4500 bribe demand, landing a 62-year-old RTO agent in the Anti-Corruption Bureau's (ACB) net. The accused, Vilas Ganpati Sengar of New Panvel, allegedly demanded the money from a 37-year-old driving school operator at the Panvel RTO. When the complainant provided the documents, Sengar claimed the process required payment for himself and a public servant.

Trap planned

Instead of paying, the complainant approached the Navi Mumbai ACB on August 11. The bureau subsequently verified the alleged bribe demand before deciding to lay a trap. On September 1, the ACB team waited for Sengar outside the Panvel RTO office. At around 1.56 pm, he allegedly accepted the marked R4500 from the complainant, following which the team caught him.

Official Speak

Dharmraj Sonke, deputy superintendent of police, Navi Mumbai ACB
"The case highlights the alleged role of private agents in RTO-related work, where applicants often depend on intermediaries to complete documentation and permit processes. The demand was verified before the trap was laid, and the accused was apprehended while allegedly accepting the bribe. We are now investigating whether anyone else was involved in the demand or the proposed facilitation of the RTO work."