Drunk driving: Procedure on car seizure simplified in Kolkata

Kolkata, Dec 20 (IANS) In wake of rising complaints against traffic cops of unnecessary harassments in case of drunk driving, the Kolkata Police has decided to relax norms in case of the seizure of vehicles in such matters.

City police sources said that verbal instructions have been sent to all police stations and traffic-police guards under the different divisions to give the offender an option to get his or car or two-wheeler released against personal bond.

“Personal bond means anybody from the family or among the friend-circle can come to the police station and get the offender and the vehicle concerned released in personal bond. However, there is a condition, that the person giving the personal bond and who will be responsible for driving back the vehicle along with the offender should not have consumed alcohol at that point of time. Needless to say, that the individual driving back should have a valid driving licence,” said an officer of a local police station on condition of anonymity.

In the earlier system, the offender had to take bail from the police station and get the car released through any lawyer. In case, the lawyer was not available during wee hours, the earlier procedure was to present the drunk driver and the vehicle to the court the next day, wherefrom the offender had to get bail and release his car after paying penalty.

However, as pointed out by the official, this simplified procedure does not mean that the offender will be given any relaxation as regards to the financial penalty on this count, which will have to be paid as per rules.

Earlier this month, Padma Shri awardee singer Ustad Rashid Khan’s wife Joyeeta Basu Khan complained of harassment of her and her husband at a local police station, after the driver of their vehicle was taken to that police station on charges of drunk and driving. She also alleged that her husband had to spend hours at the police station to get the vehicle and driver released.

–IANS

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