Car seized by Delhi Police in terror case scrapped as part of AAP govt drive

New Delhi, Dec 20 (PTI) A car seized as evidence in a terror case and parked outside a police station here was picked up by the Delhi government’s Transport Department as part of a drive and later scrapped, officials said.

The 2006 model Maruti Alto car was parked outside the Special Cell Police Station in Lodhi Colony. Being over 15 years old, the vehicle was picked up during a drive to seize overaged vehicles in May, they said.

As no one came forward to stake claim within the stipulated three months of it being seized, the car — an evidence in Delhi Police’s ongoing probe in a 2021 terror case — was scrapped oblivious to the Delhi Police.

Shahzad Alam, Special Commissioner, Transport Department, said the Special Cell of the Delhi Police has so far not pointed out any lapse.

“There is no error from our end. The vehicle was parked on a public road and it was seized and sent to a scrapyard. We issued a show cause notice to the scrapper after the matter came to light. The scrapper replied and they also met the SHO of the Special Cell,” he said.

“The car was parked outside the police station. The scrapper has shared photos of the scrapping,” he added.

Meanwhile, a Delhi Police official said that the court will be informed about the incident. The next hearing in the case will take place in January, he said.

In 2018, the Supreme Court banned diesel and petrol vehicles older than 10 and 15 years, respectively, in Delhi. It had added that the vehicles plying in violation of the order would be impounded.

A 2014 order of the National Green Tribunal bars vehicles older than 15 years to be parked in public places.

At least 50 lakh overage vehicles were deregistered between January and October last year. More than 15,000 such vehicles have been impounded till now, the Transport Department said.

The Delhi High Court had asked the city government to frame a policy on dealing with overage vehicles when their owners are willing to give an assurance that these would not be used in the national capital.