Parked At Home, Fined In Uttarakhand: How Did This UP Man Get ₹4,000 Challan For Car He Never Drove?

Last Updated:April 07, 2026, 09:43 IST

Your car's home. Your licence is valid. Yet a challan lands on your phone from another state. One Saharanpur man's nightmare shows how number plate cloning could trap any UP driver

Rajiv Thakur of Saharanpur got the shock of his life on April 3 — a Rs 4,000 traffic challan on his phone, issued by Pauri-Garhwal Traffic Police in Uttarakhand. The catch? His car hadn’t left his neighbourhood since Holi.

Where Was The Car When The Challan Was Issued?

Right outside his house in Gill Colony, Sadar Bazaar, Saharanpur — and on camera. Thakur says his vehicle (UP16EV 8849) is under 24-hour CCTV surveillance, and he has the footage to prove it never moved.

What Was The Challan Even For?

The fine was slapped for driving without a licence — except Thakur holds a valid licence. The challan claimed his vehicle was caught by Uttarakhand traffic authorities, in a city he says his car has never visited.

So What’s Actually Going On?

Thakur suspects someone has cloned his number plate and is driving a different vehicle under his registration — a frighteningly common racket on Indian roads. If true, every traffic violation, every accident, every crime committed by that vehicle could land at his doorstep.

What Has He Done About It?

Thakur has filed a complaint at Sadar Bazaar police station and submitted written grievances to both the RTO and the SP Traffic, demanding a thorough investigation and strict action against whoever is misusing his plate.

Why Should UP Residents Care?

Because it could happen to anyone. A cloned number plate means someone else’s reckless driving — or worse — shows up on your record.

If Thakur’s suspicions are confirmed, it raises serious questions about how traffic enforcement systems verify vehicle identity before firing off challans.

The matter is currently under investigation.

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