An audio clip suspected to be a part of the confidential telephone conversation between a Motor Vehicles Department (MVD) inspector and a lorry owner in Kozhikode district over the alleged payment of bribe to permit illegal service has put the MVD and its road enforcement squad in a fix. A high-level probe is under way into the incident to verify the sources of the clip and identify the officer behind the incident.
The voice clip was reportedly leaked by a group of lorry operators who were allegedly fed up with a few enforcement squad members with itchy palms. In the voice clip, the officer was heard promising to clear the way for trucks from Koduvally to Wayanad district on payment of ₹5,000 per vehicle. The owner of the voice was also found making an extra offer with some reductions if there were five vehicles at a time.
The investigation was launched after a few lorry operators took it up as evidence with the MVD and the police for action. According to the complainants, a scientific examination of the voice clip would bring to light the exploitation in the name of enforcement and struggles being faced by inter-district lorry operators.
A functionary of the Lorry Owners Association said the details shared by the officer about the functioning of the enforcement squad during the telephone conversation alone would be sufficient to prove the authenticity of the complaint.
“The MVD inspector was heard saying that no member of the 32-member road enforcement squad along Kozhikode-Wayanad highway would check the trucks if the owners were ready to make the fixed payment. It should not be taken lightly,” he said.
Minister’s directive
Meanwhile, MVD sources said the authenticity of the audio clip was still under investigation which was launched on a directive from Transport Minister Antony Raju. They also said the Transport Commissioner would submit a department-level probe report to the Minister soon recommending further action based on the preliminary investigation.
