DTO accused of beating driver who refused to pay bribe

JAIPUR: Bhilwara district transport officer (DTO) has been accused of beating up a loading truck driver so badly that the latter got his leg fractured. The driver alleged that DTO Surendra Singh demanded Rs 1,000 from him for not penalizing his vehicle and when he didn't pay, the officer beat him up with a stick mercilessly.
An FIR has been registered against DTO Surendra Singh with Bhilwara's Gulabpura police station; however, the officer refuted the allegations saying that the complainant hurt himself by falling into a pit.The complainant is undergoing treatment at Jaipur's SMS Hospital.
The alleged incident took place on May 29. According to the police, the FIR was registered by one Mahendra Sharma and his brother Kapil Sharma. "As per the complaint, the duo, belonging to Jaipur, was on their way to Bhilwara's Mandala area to deliver some goods when their vehicle was intercepted by DTO Surendra Singh," said a police officer.
The DTO was checking vehicles on the roadside. "Kapil who is disabled went to the DTO and enquired about why they were intercepted. The DTO told him that he would have to give Rs 1,000, otherwise he would never be able to get his vehicle released. When Kapil protested, the DTO allegedly slapped him," said the officer.
On seeing his brother being thrashed, Mahendra also went to the DTO. However, it further infuriated the officer who first pushed Mahendra on the ground and then started kicking him. The DTO then got a stick from his official vehicle and starting hitting it on his leg repeatedly.
Kapil kept warning the officer that he would complain to the police about it, but he didn't pay heed. He kept striking him. When Kapil took his brother to a nearby hospital, the DTO turned up there along with his staff member and threatened him there also.
"Mahendra's right leg fractured at three different places. His family members took him to SMS Hospital in Jaipur for treatment; however, we had got a medical examination conducted," said the officer.