RTO Agent Delaying Vehicle Registration - Looks like Overcharging
Hi,
An RTO agent is delaying Bike Registration work for 6-7 months, and seems to be overcharging me on the pretext of Road Tax.
I contacted an RTO agent in Pune, in May 2018 to change my non-geared bike registration from a Kerala number to Maharashtra number. I gave him my bike tax invoice, NOC from Kerala etc., and other documents. My NOC had expired and bike has been in Pune from January 2015.
He said some verification needs to come from Kerala RTO, which will take 40 days and meanwhile chassis number, police verification etc. to be done. There may be fine for NOC delay, he said. He took Rs. 1000/- as initial payment. I did the police verification and he said he will take care of the rest. This took a month. After this, he would not contact me, and after a few days or weeks, I started calling him. But the agent gave reasons like “there was strike at RTO” etc. I asked him how much time and how much money would be needed, he never gave me a clear answer – “it will be done, don’t worry” he said.
The matter dragged on for months, with excuses like RTO is being renovated (genuine fact, but it won’t take 4 months!). He would never contact me, I always had to call him every 1-2 weeks and it was a tiring frustrating experience. 5 months later I texted the RTO agent saying if he is not interested he can give me back my papers. Couple of days after that he met and showed me documents. Kerala RTO approval etc. all was done in May-June itself. He told me process to get my bike inspected at Pune RTO, which I did. After inspection he said – now he will file road tax for me, after submitting road tax, the RC book will come to my address in ten days.
Again, after this two weeks no contact. I called again 1 day-he asked to meet me. Upon meeting he said road tax amount came to 9,700/-. His agent charges was another 2,200/- which he asked me to pay. I paid him 1000/-, said I will pay the rest when I get RC book.
Then I checked. My bike invoice (purchased [deleted]) was around 45,000. I think MH road tax comes to 10-12% of total bike amount. Tax is 4,500/ to 5,000/-.
I texted him saying I will pay road tax by cheque, asked for RTO cheque payment details. Need break up of tax, and told that invoice calculation with depreciation will be not more than 4,500/- and asked him to re-calculate. Agent replied saying he will send info.
He has not contacted for 10 days.I believe he was trying to get money out of me. I am afraid if I call him now, he may force full payment else no papers. Or he will give false tax calculation.
Qsns-
1. What is late fine for road tax, NOC expiry?
2. What can I do if an RTO agent is unreasonably delaying Registration work?
3. Is there anything a local advocate can do that will compel him to do the task in a specified time?
4. Can I access my own bike papers and pay the Road tax directly via RTO? I don’t have any document number or information.
Regards.