Stealing clamped car costs Punjabi youth ₹50,000

Stealing his car, which was clamped by the traffic police for wrong parking, has cost a Fatehgarh Sahib resident ₹50,000.

Convicting him of theft and dishonestly receiving stolen property, the court of chief judicial magistrate Abhishek Phutela on Thursday also sentenced Varinder Singh, 26, to “undergo imprisonment for the period already undergone in custody (March 26 - April 1)”.

On March 26, a police team was issuing challans and clamping vehicles for wrong parking behind Punjab National Bank, Sector 22-D.

There, they found a wrongly parked Maruti Suzuki Swift Dzire, and clamped its tyre, besides leaving a slip on the windshield.

When a cop returned after a while, he found the clamp broken and the car missing. But, the car was intercepted at a naka near Kiran Cinema, Sector 22, the same day, and Singh was arrested. The police then established that Singh replaced the clamped tyre with a spare to drive his vehicle away.

In its order, the court stated, “As per allegations, the accused committed theft of car from the constructive possession of traffic police, Chandigarh, by removing the tyre with the wheel clamp of traffic police. Singh dishonestly retained the vehicle in his possession knowing and having reasons to believe the same to be stolen property.”

During trial, Singh pleaded guilty. Appealing for leniency, he told the court that he was employed in Dubai. But, due to this case, he was unable to rejoin work.

He also said he was a first-time offender and was not aware about the practice of clamping of wheels by traffic police.

Convicting the accused, the court stated, “The astute adventure of the convict in removing the tyre on which clamp was put up by traffic police and to drive away the vehicle after changing the tyre, merits dissuasive and exemplary punishment.”

The court held that the convict, who could have otherwise been only paying fine for wrong parking, committed theft of vehicle, which was clamped by the traffic police.