Four including 2 ARTOs arrested in UP

Four government employees including two Additional Regional Transport Officers (ARTOs) have been arrested for allegedly taking bribe from drivers and giving clearance to overloaded trucks, police said on Wednesday.

The accused have been identified as ARTOs Sandeep Chaudhary posted in Sant Kabir Nagar and Shailesh Tiwari posted in Basti, Constable Anuj Shukla, and driver Uttam Kumar.

Circle Officer, Cantonment area, Sumit Shukla told reporters: "In January, a Special Task Force (STF) had filed a police complaint at Belipar Police station against RTO officers for taking bribes and giving clearance to overloaded trucks. Based on that complaint, police have arrested six people including the owner of Madhuban Hotel Dharampal Singh."

Police said the truck drivers used to bribe ARTOs through local middlemen. Dharampal Singh was the leader of this network in various districts. He used to take money from transporters and then he used to order the officials to give clearance to the said transporters' trucks, police said.