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NEW DELHI: Incidents of vehicle registration plate cloning have begun surfacing in the national capital despite the mandatory rollout of High Security Registration Plates, exposing commuters to unexpected legal liability and security risks. The growing menace recently came to light in the Khajoori Khas area of Northeast Delhi, where a resident received an automated traffic prosecution notice on his personal mobile record after another motorist was captured riding a cloned scooter bearing the exact registration credentials of his parked motorcycle. The incident has sparked serious concerns regarding commuter security, misdirected penalties, and potential accountability in the event of an untoward criminal offense executed using duplicate identifiers.
Automated Notice Triggers Alarm Over Duplicate Vehicle Identity
The matter came to light after Shambhu Kumar Pathak, a resident of Lane Number 12 in Badarpur Khadar under the Khajoori Khas locality, received a formal legal notice issued by the Delhi Traffic Police under Section 133 of the Motor Vehicles Act. The prosecution communication stated that a fine of 1,000 rupees had been levied against his vehicle registration on the afternoon of October 21 at 3:49 PM for riding without a helmet near the Khajoori Chowk intersection. The notice warned that failure to provide driver details or clear the fine within a sixty-day window could lead to a penalty of up to 5,000 rupees, six months of imprisonment, or both under existing road safety enforcement rules.
Verification Portal Exposes Unrelated Scooter Using Black Bike Number
Shocked by the prosecution claim, Pathak checked the official Delhi Traffic Police online violations portal to review the photographic evidence attached to the violation. Pathak, who owns a black motorcycle equipped with an authentic High Security Registration Plate, discovered that the recorded violation frame did not display his motorcycle at all. Instead, the surveillance camera had captured two young men traveling without helmets on a red scooter. A closer look at the rear fixture of the scooter revealed a regular, non-secure plate bearing the exact registration mark assigned to Pathak’s motorcycle. Pathak stated that he initially struggled to decide how to respond before tagging law enforcement authorities on social media and preparing a formal complaint. His primary worry remains whether vehicle owners could be held liable if individuals operating cloned plates commit a serious criminal act.
Advisories Issued on Verification Steps and Grievance Redressal
In response to such cloning risks, vehicle owners have been urged to monitor the Delhi Traffic Police website on a regular basis to track any unexpected pending notices. Citizens are also advised to keep active mobile contact numbers updated within the vehicle Registration Certificate records to guarantee the immediate delivery of violation alerts. Furthermore, owners should blur their registration plates whenever sharing photographs of their vehicles on public social media accounts or online resale platforms. Motorists who receive erroneous notices are advised to immediately download the challan copy along with the photographic proof of the suspect vehicle. They should then register a written police complaint at the local police station and submit their response along with the complaint copy to the notice branch within the stipulated timeframe. Finally, affected owners should email all relevant documentation and records to the official notice branch address at tinbt-dtp@nic.in to request the formal cancellation of the invalid fine.
