The standoff between the police and the Motor Vehicles Department (MVD) in Wadakkanchery has escalated, with the police registering a case against a Motor Vehicle Inspector (MVI) who had fined a police patrol jeep for allegedly lacking valid insurance and a pollution under control (PUC) certificate.
The case was registered against MVI P.V. Biju on charges of obstructing a public servant in the discharge of official duty and allegedly tarnishing the image of the police by publicising the incident through social media.
The dispute stems from an enforcement check conducted near Uthralikavu Temple shortly after 11 p.m. on Monday. An MVD enforcement team intercepted a police jeep engaged in night patrol under the leadership of the Wadakkanchery Sub-Inspector and imposed a fine of ₹4,000, alleging that the vehicle did not have valid insurance and a PUC certificate. The penalty comprised ₹2,000 each for the alleged insurance and PUC violations.
Police officials, however, said that a verification of records at the station established that the vehicle’s insurance was valid until March 7, 2027. They alleged that the inspector imposed the fine without verifying the insurance documents and relied solely on information available on the Parivahan portal.
The police were also upset that the incident was publicised before the records could be verified. They further questioned the ₹2,000 penalty for the absence of a PUC certificate, claiming that such violations generally attract a much lower fine.
Following the controversy, the police released copies of the insurance policy of the patrol vehicle to support their claim that the insurance coverage was valid at the time of the inspection.
The Motor Vehicles Department later said that the penalty was imposed because the insurance details had not been updated on the Parivahan portal, leading to the confusion..
Meanwhile, in a fresh twist to the row, the police released documents alleging that the private vehicle of MVI P.V. Biju itself did not have a valid pollution under control certificate.
Published - July 08, 2026 07:32 pm IST