UP cracks down on fake permits; FIRs filed over illegal Indo-Nepal bus routes, STF probe ordered

LUCKNOW: The Uttar Pradesh Transport Department has launched a major crackdown on the illegal operation of private buses using forged permits along the Indo-Nepal international route.After receiving reports from the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) and Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), Transport Commissioner Brajesh Narayan Singh has taken strict administrative and legal action.Investigations have revealed that several buses were using counterfeit permits at the Nepal border. These permits appeared to be issued by regional transport authorities but were either completely fake or issued beyond legal jurisdiction.

Confirmed cases of such forged permits have been found in Aligarh, Baghpat, and Maharajganj, where local ARTOs verified that no such permits were officially granted. FIRs have been filed in these districts, and legal proceedings are underway.Similar suspicious permits have also come to light in Gorakhpur, Etawah, and Auraiya, violating the Indo-Nepal Passenger Transport Agreement of 2014. Disciplinary action has already been initiated in the Gorakhpur case.

The Commissioner has written to the Director General of Police (DGP), requesting a consolidated investigation by the Special Task Force (STF). He has also urged the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) and the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to clarify that only permits issued in Form-C by the destination country’s embassy or consulate are valid for international travel.The issue partly stems from loopholes in the VAHAN 4.0 portal, where manual entry in the “via” column allowed unauthorised destinations like Nepal to be listed.

The department has asked NIC to correct this flaw and redesign the faceless permit system.The UP Transport Department has reaffirmed its commitment to transparency, security, and treaty compliance.Commissioner Singh said, "Tampering with national security through fake documents will not be tolerated, and all culprits will face strict legal consequences."