PUNE: The Wakad police on Thursday arrested Vijay Bhagwan Dagade, 44, a resident of Tathawade, for allegedly using a button-operated mechanism to conceal his vehicle’s registration number. He was later granted bail by the court.
Dagade was arrested after a video showing a mechanical flap concealing his Fortuner’s rear registration plate while travelling on the Pune-Mumbai Expressway went viral on social media.
Police told the court that further investigation was required to establish where and how the mechanism was fabricated, who was involved in making or installing it, the circumstances of the vehicle’s modification, and whether the vehicle was used in connection with any other offence. A case was registered regarding this incident on Wednesday.
After hearing both sides, Judicial Magistrate (First Class) Dipti D. Because the vehicle allegedly used in the offence had already been seized, patil held that Dagade’s physical custody was not required for the remaining investigation.
The court observed that “no purpose would be served by keeping the accused behind bars” and granted him bail on a personal bond of ₹ 25,000 and a surety of the same amount.
