[mrehanms]

Have to say, this miscreant is dumb here.

I have come across a few fake number plate cases, but they usually use someone in the RTO to figure out a car with same make, model and color. And here the guy is running with a fake number plate of a different model altogether.

I would recommend you do the following

• File an FIR with your local police station with the challan details
• Write an email (or if possible visit personally) - the Commissioner / SP of Satara and Sangli, mention the FIR number that you have filed
• Drop a complaint on the CM Portal for Maharashtra https://grievances.maharashtra.gov.in/en

Document all of these - keep a proper paper trail of these, with the dates. This seems to be a reckless person (like I said, some attention to details if this was a professional ring) - so rather record your escalations.

[jbpanda]

Agree with most of the suggestions in the above posts, particularly filing a complaint with your local police station with copies of your vehicle documents and challan details with a request to lodge FIR. If the local police do not register FIR, escalate it to the concerned Superintendent of Police as also the Commissioner with a request for intervention. If that does not work out, file a complaint before the concerned Magistrate's Court seeking directions on the police to lodge FIR, investigate and submit report.

Based on the copy of FIR lodged, dispute the challan received by you by issuing a detailed representation and if necessary, follow it up with a legal notice. Wait for action for about 2-3 weeks and if it does not reap any positive outcome, file a writ petition before the High Court challenging the challan and impleading all authorities including - RTO, Ministry of Road Transport and police authorities seeking to quash the challan and also an investigation on the miscreants and appropriate action to be taken against the one's found guilty.

These actions would demonstrate your vigilance and diligence in pursuing the matter to bring it to its logical conclusion and will be your full proof defence to any illegal activities that you may be entangled as a result of this mischief. Hope you find this helpful.

[pannags]

This must be so very annoying. You're careful not to break rules, but there's an imposter doing that and having you run around trying to prove your innocence The only silver lining I see is that it's a different model.

I agree with most of the people that you should immediately register an FIR in person at the nearest station and update your RTO too. Hoping that you'll soon be out of this hassle.

[ASHUJNMC]

Last year, I was in Maharashtra working, and covid was raging. I just checked for Violation, and Bangalore traffic police website showed 2 violation one was for using mobile while driving.
On the mentioned dates I was in Maharashtra at thet time, working, and I can prove. Unfortunately the medical College I was working in doesn't keep record of vehicle numbers entering/leaving the campus. So, I had no proof the even vehicle was there in Maharashtra.

I went to Local (Whitefield) Traffic police station, and was directed to go to Main Traffic control centre, and from there another two Traffic police station approximately 30 km away from my place. Wasted my whole one day, and atthe end of the day, they said both were manual entry and No camera /photographic Proof for the incidents. they refused to cancel the challan, and took application just to identify the Policeman who had done entry. Lawyer and ex-police man were of no use. I had to go back to Maharashtra where I work. They just advised they go to local police station and give and intimation that possibly someone else may be using my car number plate. I did manage to do that.
3month ago i was stopped and asked to pay fine. Amd i had to manually pay to a police officer. He put my DL in their scanner, and since then it's not updating online in M.pariwahan app. He did say they DL won't be revoked /suspended, but i don't know what's the status.

The heavy handed manner in which we are handed down fine without proof, is Astounding, and that too without a mechanism to Challenge it online.

[navinkamath4657]

Hi Ezbreeze,

First of all Very sorry for your messed up situation. And let me be straight the solution is not at all easy. Reason i tell so is because i am going through a similar scenario.

A brief of my story
I have an honda unicorn, my first treasured possession around 16 years old now.
I seldom use it since past few years and most of the time it rests in our apartment basement though it has been maintained and taken care of like a baby.
One fine day some time in dec 2020 my wife sends her car for service and doesn't get it back same day and she wants to use mine for the next few days. I end up using my bike, get stopped by a traffic cop for usual checks validates all my documents ( my uni even had a working PUC). Suddenly a colleague cop comes next to me and asks me to pay a fine of 4000 that has been incurred since march 2020. I step down and he gives me a image on the handheld device. To my utter shock i see 8 violations of not wearing helmet, triple riding, no entry etc. I show the cop my ID tell him that i am a law abiding citizen as he can see from all the documents i have for a nearly 15yr old vehicle and tell him that the bike saw it first day outing on that day after more than a year and half. Somehow the cop agrees and tells me to file a complaint with the law order police. All this happened in bangalore.
Thankfully a dear doctor friend of mine was an ACP, he passes on the info to his colleague who is an ACP in traffic. I meet him hand over the image from the traffic hand held device.he cross checks and downloads all the images of the violations. To my utter shock i see a black unicorn with the same number plate as mine being shamelessly rode by some miscreants with utter disregard to basic traffic rules.
He asks me to send a detailed photoset of my bike, running documents and a letter addressed to him. I do the same, they draft a letter to the law and order police to look out for the bike as described and advice me not to tale my bike out for atleast three months lest it should confuse the authorities. This happened in jan 2021, since then my bike has been hibernating in the basement and there has been no update at all. Also the spurt of challans ( 8 of them in a short span of 4-5 months) has stopped. But the problem is not solved.
So here are my two bits which hopefully can help out people.

1. Always look out for challans for violations on your vehicle on a regular manner, 6months atleast. Helps you catch the event early. Had i not taken my uni out that day i would have never known of this thing till god alone knows when.

2. Keep your documents of all the vehicles up and running.this helps to establish that you are a law abiding citizen when it comes to traffic rules.

3. Cops in India have come a long way ahead than what we are used to see on the big and small screen. They indeed have an eagerness to help provided you show the intent , always be prepared in advance for what they need and have trust on them

4. Can't say the same for the solution. Takes a long time more so because those cops will definitely have more teething concerns to looks at and solve.

5. Doing this procedure helps you to insulate yourself from any serious offenses that can happen with such miscreants. Better to be a step ahead than repent.

6. Trust me, a few thousand bucks challan cancelation should not be the goal here but to catch the offenders or atleast seize the vehicle used for the offense

7. Lastly, unfortunately we all have to live through such instances of impersonation in all aspects ( vehicle, social media, identity etc) as a peril of advances in digitalisation. All the info needed is available at a click making the crooks smarter. Solution here is to think like them and be a step ahead.

Hope this helps
Drive safe

[pooravB]

I read the comments and according to me you should not take the task of finding this person by yourself or any other general citizen. Confronting a felon can get risky as they might even attack you to run away. I will suggest that you reach to your nearest police station and get the FIR done in person and get the photocopy of it, attach photocopy of your Registration Certificate with it and submit the same to your RTO. Make sure to get acknowledgement from both Police Station and RTO. This will help you in case the felon does any kind of unlawful action using your registration number. Leave the task of finding such felon with the police officials and keep asking them for updates regularly. You can also tweet and mail the same to higher police officials of your area in hope for swift action. All in all the best thing you can do is to get enough paper work to prove yourself innocent whenever any kind of unlawful thing is done by the felon using your registration number. Other than stay safe.