Kollam Vigilance Court sentences RTO agent to six years in prison

Kollam Vigilance Court on Wednesday sentenced the second accused in a fraudulent driving license issuance case to six years of effective imprisonment, following a thorough investigation and trial conducted by the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau.

The case dates back to the period between August 11, 2008 and January 2, 2009. According to the prosecution, the then Pathanamthitta Regional Transport Officer (RTO) Jojo James (late), RTO agent Muhammed Shafeeq, the second accused, and another agent Surendran (late) entered into a criminal conspiracy. They deceived applicants by promising them driving licenses without requiring them to attend driving tests, bypassing standard legal procedures.

Investigators found that fake license entries for Light Motor Vehicles (LMV), Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGV), and badges were fraudulently added to official records and submitted alongside address-changed applications. The primary accused illegally issued these unauthorised licenses, leading to financial gains through deception and forgery.

The Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau’s Special Investigation Unit-I in Thiruvananthapuram initially registered the case under various sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act and the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Following a comprehensive probe by multiple officers and a chargesheet filed by SP K.E. Baiju, the trial proceeded in court.

Kollam Vigilance Court Judge C.S. Mohit convicted the second accused, sentencing him to varying prison terms and fines across multiple charges, including criminal conspiracy, cheating, forgery, and using forged documents as genuine. With the court ordering that the sentences run concurrently, the accused will serve a total of six years in prison alongside a fine of ₹1 lakh. Public prosecutors Divya P.S. and Siju Rajan represented the prosecution during the trial.