A Pimpri-Chinchwad motorist has been booked after police found a motorised device fitted to a car that could conceal its registration number at the press of a button, officials said in a complaint filed at Wakad police station on September 10.
The case concerns a motorist from the Tathawade area. According to the complaint filed by police constable Rohidas Borhade, the device was installed without permission from the Pimpri-Chinchwad Regional Transport Office (RTO) and was intended to prevent the vehicle’s registration plate from being seen.
The complaint states that the system was designed to help the driver avoid automated traffic enforcement, including speed cameras and e-challan action on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway. Police also cited the potential use of concealed registration numbers to evade checkpoints, fines and legal action.
During the inspection, authorities found that a black motorised cover could descend over the registration plate and completely hide it. The mechanism was operated through a push-button system, according to the report. The police complaint alleges that concealing the vehicle’s identity could make it difficult for government agencies to trace the car in the event of an accident, a serious offence or another illegal activity.
The case also alleges that the use of the device amounted to impersonation or deception intended to defraud the government. The specific legal provisions invoked were not stated in the supplied report. Wakad police are investigating the matter.
The RTO’s flying squad separately imposed a fine of Rs 4,500 and removed the device from the car. The action comes as traffic authorities increasingly rely on cameras and electronic systems to identify vehicles, record violations and issue challans. A concealed registration number can interfere with that enforcement process.
The police investigation and the RTO action are the next steps in the case. Further details about the vehicle owner, the applicable charges and any court proceedings were not available in the supplied report.
