National
Surveillance heightened in driving test centres to catch imposter candidates
Police arrested six persons for taking driving tests on behalf of others in the past four months.Anup Ojha
At least six people have been arrested from various driving test centres of Kathmandu Valley for impersonating as driving test candidates.
The Metropolitan Traffic Police Division, this week made public the names of the people who were arrested on various dates between August and November.
The traffic police arrested Suman Lama, 20, from Swyambhu trial centre on August 1 while Shiva Hari Thapa, 33, was arrested from Satungal trial centre on August 27.
Similarly, Manoj Lama was arrested from Ekantakuna trial centre on September 27 and Resham Basnet from Bhaktapur trial centre on November 18. Jay Ram Shrestha and Karna Bahadur BK were arrested from Bhaktapur and Ekantakuna on November 19.
“We have zero tolerance for such fake trial givers,” said SSP Bhim Prasad Dhakal, chief of the division.“If people cannot take written and practical tests, they do not know about the traffic rules and therefore unfit to drive.”
Dhakal said the division office has already directed all five driving test centres in Kathmandu Valley to monitor and book those involved in fraudulent activities.
The division, meanwhile, has installed CCTV cameras and deployed plainclothed officers in all driving test centres to catch fraud candidates.
The division heightened its surveillance at driving test centres after receiving several complaints about stand-in drivers taking driving tests on behalf of candidates.
Dhakal said these stand-in drivers charge candidates anywhere between Rs5,000-Rs10,000 for taking the driving test.
The division’s records show,12 fake driving test candidates were arrested from different driving test centres in the Valley last year.