A 34-year-old man from Madurai, who collected money from educational institutions posing as a Motor Vehicle Inspector (MVI) was arrested near Jolarpet town in Tirupattur on Monday.
Police said T. Selvakumar, along with his two accomplices, had been collecting ‘fine’ from motorists especially from drivers of buses and vans of educational institutions in Jolarpet town and Yelagiri Hills on the Tirupattur - Vaniyambadi Main Road, citing various offences. Selvakumar claimed they were a special team deputed by the Department of Transport in Chennai to conduct such special checks, police said.
Trouble started when the trio stopped the bus of a private school that functions in Vaniyambadi town on Monday. Based on the alert, school authorities reached the spot and showed the relevant vehicle documents to them. However, the school authorities grew suspicious and alerted S. Ramakrishnan, Regional Transport Officer (RTO), Tirupattur, who along with Vaniyambadi taluk police, reached the spot at 11 a.m.
After seeing them, two of the gang fled the spot in a two-wheeler while Selvakumar was nabbed. Initial inquiries revealed that they had been committing the offence in various places in the district such as Ambur, Natrampalli, Vaniyambadi and Yelagiri Hills especially on isolated spots along arterial stretches.
Special teams have been formed to nab the duo. A case has been filed by Vaniyambadi taluk police. Selvakumar was later arrested, the police said.