False news on social media on HC order: Hyderabad Traffic police clarifies

Hyderabad: The City Traffic Police on Sunday clarified that a false news being spread by a few persons in social media that the Telangana High Court has ordered that the "Traffic police have no powers to seize vehicles for non-payment of challans."

They clarified that there is no such order of the court and that some persons with reasons best known to them have been issuing misleading statements in the media and social media, creating confusion among the public.

The police further clarified that in its order dated August 11, disposing of the writ petition number 18611 of 2021, the court had directed the petitioner to submit a fresh application to the police seeking release of his vehicle, as per law, within two weeks from the date of the order and the police have to consider the same and pass an appropriate order in another eight weeks' time thereafter.

Accordingly, he has appeared before Rajendranagar Traffic Police on August 19 and paid the pending challan against the vehicle, as per Rule 167 of the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, and got the vehicle released, as per law.

But, for reasons best known to him, the petitioner, hiding these facts, has been issuing misleading statements by misquoting the court orders. "Cyberabad Traffic Police are considering legal action against the person regarding this."

The police advised all those who have been indulging in spreading of the false news to read the court order and stop indulging in spreading of misinformation leading to confusion among the public and to obstruction of duties of the Traffic police.

The clarification said: "It is reiterated that, as per Rule 167 of the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, the police are authorised to detain a vehicle which has any pending traffic violation challan which is more than 90 days old and regarding which the vehicle-owner has been intimated by the police at least once either electronically or over a call."

"It is the duty of the vehicle owners to regularly check whether their vehicle has been driven in contravention of any traffic rules and if there are any traffic violation challans issued against their vehicle, they shall verify the evidence and pay the penalty."

"If they notice any discrepancy in the challans, they can report the same to the authorities online which will be verified and rectified, if any," it added.