Kolkata Police busts fake number plate racket, 8 arrested

Kolkata, Oct 17 (PTI) Kolkata Police have busted a major fake number plate racket operating from the city and arrested eight people for their alleged involvement in it, an officer said on Friday.

They also seized number plates linked to multiple states, including West Bengal, Jharkhand, and Odisha, he said.

Talking more about the case, the officer said that the matter surfaced on Thursday when Sergeant Souvik Biswas of Kasba Traffic Guard intercepted a scooter near Ruby crossing.

"The vehicle bore a number plate, WB 05C 1317, that, upon verification, was found fake and registered to another owner, Ranjan Dutta, who had earlier lodged a complaint about repeated prosecution notices," he said.

The rider, Mangal Naskar, was arrested, and that led police to Ramendra Prasad Keshri, who allegedly supplied the scooter, the officer said.

"Interrogation pointed investigators to a workshop in Picnic Garden area run by Bikram Shaw. A raid there uncovered forged plates from several states and a plate-making machine. Shaw could not produce valid documentation and was arrested," he said.

Follow-up searches in the Mullickbazar area led to the seizure of more fake number plates, the officer said, adding that police have so far arrested eight people.

"Raids are still on in different parts of the city and we suspect involvement of more people from West Bengal and other states," he said. PTI SCH RG