Senior Congress Leader Accuses RTO Officials of Running Extortion Racket in Vidarbha Nagpur: Senior Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar on Thursday accused the Regional Transport Office (RTO) system in Vidarbha of harboring a well-organized extortion network, claiming that even a senior Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) officer is complicit in enabling illegal collections and shielding offenders. Speaking to the media in Nagpur, Wadettiwar alleged that retired deputy RTO officials and those in Akola are part of a system that routinely extracts money from truck operators, vehicle owners, and transporters. He claimed that overloaded vehicles are allowed to operate after payments are funneled through intermediaries. The Congress legislative party leader further stated that an additional SP-rank ACB officer is allegedly protecting the racket by alerting those involved ahead of trap operations. According to Wadettiwar, the officer, who has been posted in the bureau for nearly a decade, receives complaints and passes them on to individuals under scrutiny. He argued that this system undermines enforcement and allows illegal practices to persist unchecked. Wadettiwar questioned a recent trap operation conducted on March 23, calling it "fabricated" and based on a false complaint by a truck driver who had not traveled on the route where the alleged demand was made. He emphasized that refusal to pay results in organized traps, while payment leads to advance alerts and the perpetrators’ escape. The allegations highlight concerns about corruption within the RTO system, which is responsible for regulating road transport and ensuring compliance with safety and licensing standards.#vijay_wadettiwar #vidarbha #rto #anti_corruption_bureau #acb
