RTO gives vehicle-auctioning responsibility to ARTO Mane

Aurangabad, July 15:

The RTO office has relieved the assistant RTO Swapnil Mane from the charge of license section after he spent a day in the police custody remand (PCR) in connection with the case of bribery. Till the next order from the state government, he has been given the responsibility of auctioning the seized vehicles.

Mane and one another were arrested for allegedly demanding a bribe. He has demanded a bribe against issuing permanent licenses to 30 students of a city's motor driving training institute. Both of them were placed in PCR. After getting bail, Mane reported on his duty on Thursday. However, the RTO removed him from the license section. He arrived in the office today morning and many operators of motor driving institutes met him. Mane was telling them that the action taken

against him was wrong and he has been falsely implicated. He also mentioned that he will be approaching the court for justice in this regard. It is learnt that as per norms, after such action against any officer, he is given a non-executive post till the next order or issuance of suspension. Hence, he has been given the responsibility of auctioning the vehicles seized by RTO for violating traffic and transport rules.

The RTO Sanjay Maitrewar said, " The government has authority to suspend the officer in RTO office. Till the suspension, Mane has been given the responsibility of vehicle-auctioning. The matter is sub judice. The departmental inquiry will be initiated against him."