Delhi High Court Denies Anticipatory Bail To RTO Clerk Accused In Pan-India Fake Vehicle Registration Racket

The Delhi High Court has refused to grant anticipatory bail to a Road Transport Authority (RTA) clerk accused of being part of a pan-India syndicate involved in fraudulent vehicle registrations using fake documents and tampered chassis numbers.

Justice Girish Kathpalia dismissed the plea filed by Gaurav Bhardwaj, who is facing charges under multiple provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) in connection with FIR registered by the Crime Branch.

As per the prosecution, the accused, while posted as a clerk in the RTA at Bilaspur, Himachal Pradesh, allegedly played a key role in a syndicate of vehicle lifters. The modus operandi involved tampering with the Chassis number of the stolen vehicles and getting the same registered on fake documents; and the registration numbers used were mostly of the States far away from the State where the vehicle was registered using fake documents. As per prosecution, such fake registrations were being carried out across the country by the syndicate.

The role ascribed to the accused was that he had access to the email account of the concerned SDM, enabling him to retrieve OTPs generated through the VAHAN portal and facilitate fraudulent registrations. The prosecution also claimed that several such registrations were processed by the accused beyond official working hours.

Opposing the plea, the State submitted that the investigation is ongoing and spans multiple states, with data of numerous suspicious vehicle registrations still under analysis. It was also pointed out that the accused is absconding and that custodial interrogation is necessary to unearth the full extent of the racket.

The Court noted that communications from Telangana authorities indicated that several registration numbers under investigation were fake and did not exist in official records. Additionally, certain vehicles linked to the case were found to be stolen, with their registration details manipulated.

Considering the seriousness and scale of the alleged offence, as well as the stage of investigation, the Court held that it was not a fit case for grant of anticipatory bail, observing that such relief would impede effective custodial interrogation.

Accordingly, the bail application was dismissed.

Appearance: Mr. Madhav Khurana, Sr. Advocate with Mr. Parantap Singh, Mr. Laxman Rana, Mr. Deepargya Datta and Mr. Lakshay Sehrawat, Advocates for Petitioner; Mr. Amit Ahlawat, APP for State (through video conferencing) with IO/SI Rajendra Dhaka for Respondent

Case title: Gaurav Bhardwaj v. State NCT of Delhi

Case no.: BAIL APPLN. 554/2026

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