This modus operandi came to light after two wanted criminals from Ballia in Uttar Pradesh were shot dead on April 26 in an encounter by the UP Special Task Force on the busy Noida expressway adjoining Delhi.
Dreaded criminals from adjoining states have now found a unique way to sneak into Delhi - by using imported cars carrying blue diplomatic (CD) number plates.
This modus operandi came to light after two wanted criminals from Ballia in Uttar Pradesh were shot dead on April 26 in an encounter by the UP Special Task Force on the busy Noida expressway adjoining Delhi.
The wanted gangsters -- Ajay and Ashutosh, each carrying a reward of Rs50,000 on his head -- were travelling in a car with a diplomatic number plate -- 17 CD A/F (Applied For). The police impounded the car from the encounter scene.
Enquiries revealed that the car originally belonged to the Chinese embassy and had apparently been sold in an auction to a person called Atul several months ago.
When the police tried to locate Atul, they found he had given a fictitious address. "It was a car of the Chinese Embassy, they (criminals) bought the car but did not change the number plate to fool the police," UP Special Task Force senior superintendent of police Navin Arora told PTI.
This unauthorised use of diplomatic number plates to drive in and out of the capital unquestioned, has rung alarm bells in the Delhi police, especially at a time when the city is on high alert.
A senior Delhi police official said that the ministry of external affairs had issued standing instructions to challan or even impound any diplomatic vehicle carrying an incomplete or A/F (Applied For) number plate.
But no such challan had been issued till date. "Now after the encounter, it seems that criminals are misusing it. So we will now keep an eye on any diplomatic vehicle bearing A/F number plate and challan or impound in case of violations," the official.
The encounter brought to light another violation of law.
According to the rules, the diplomatic number plate of the car has to be taken off immediately after the auction and the owner has to make a fresh registration. This particular car had reportedly been sold by the Chinese embassy in January this year.
In the light of the embarrassing questions raised by the encounter, the UP Special Task force and the Noida police have been fobbing off enquiries.
When asked about the progress of the investigation, Arora said, "Special Task Force is not the investigation agency, we have done the encounter...The investigation is done by the Noida police, as the case is registered under the Surajpur, Noida police station."
The officials at the Surajpur police station refused to discuss the case. The circle officer of the police station, Shailendra Lal, said, "the investigations are on...We are not in a position to say anything to the press."
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}