Arrest warrants issued against Mohali RTO in bribery case

Mohali: A local court has issued arrest warrants against regional transport officer (RTO) Pradeep Singh Dhillon in connection with a bribery case . The warrants follow an FIR registered by the state vigilance bureau.

Dhillon, a resident of Sector 80, Mohali, was charged under sections 7 and 7A of the Prevention of Corruption Act (PCA) and Section 61(2) of the BNS. According to the vigilance department, the arrest warrants are valid until May 1. Officials said Dhillon absconded after learning about his implication in the case. He held responsibility for both Mohali and Patiala districts and was scheduled to retire in May 2026, with his retirement age extended to 60 due to a physical disability.

The case stems from a statewide crackdown conducted by the vigilance bureau on April 7, targeting regional transport authority (RTA) offices and driving test centres. During these raids, Sukhwinder Singh, a private individual, was arrested at Sector 82 driving test centre in Mohali for accepting a Rs 5,000 bribe in exchange for facilitating driving test approvals.

Subsequent investigations linked RTO Dhillon to the bribery network. Action against him was taken only after receiving clearance from the chief secretary.

Notably, the April 7 operation resulted in the arrest of 24 persons across Punjab for their alleged roles in bribery and dereliction of duty. Authorities registered 16 FIRs and recovered Rs 40,900 from agents who were reportedly extorting money from citizens seeking driving licences and related services.