Nagpur: Senior Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar on Thursday alleged the existence of a “well-organised extortion racket” within the Regional Transport Office system in Vidarbha, claiming that even a senior Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) officer is part of a network that enables illegal collections and shields offenders.Addressing media in Nagpur, Wadettiwar accused retired deputy RTO and Akola RTO officers of running a system that allegedly extracts money from truck operators, vehicle owners and transporters. He claimed overloaded vehicles are routinely allowed to operate after payments are routed through intermediaries.The Congress legislative party leader alleged that an additional SP-rank ACB officer was “protecting the racket” by alerting those involved ahead of trap operations. “If someone refuses to pay, a trap is organised. But if money is paid, the same people are alerted in advance and saved,” he said.He further claimed that the officer, posted in the bureau for nearly a decade, receives information about complaints and passes it on to those under scrutiny. According to him, the system undermines enforcement and allows illegal practices to continue unchecked.Questioning a recent action, Wadettiwar alleged that a trap conducted on March 23 was “fabricated” and based on a false complaint by a truck driver who had not travelled on the route where the alleged demand was made. He said the action targeted officials who had resisted illegal collections. The allegations extend to administrative control within the department. Wadettiwar claimed the network influences postings and promotions, particularly of officers from Vidarbha, and is used to pressure those unwilling to cooperate. “This is not just about corruption. It is about controlling the entire RTO enforcement system and threatening officers who refuse to fall in line,” he said.He added that his office has received audio recordings and video clips that allegedly show officials issuing threats to inspectors, and called for an independent, high-level inquiry into the matter.
