A luxury SUV reportedly belonging to a Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) blocked the entry gates of Dadar East railway station for several hours on Thursday morning. The large car was parked on the side of the station that falls outside Swaminarayan temple and irked commuters entering and exiting the station but an alert citizen activist was unwilling to ignore the situation and got the MLA fined.
Citizen activist Ajit Rane, who witnessed the incident, said the vehicle — a Land Rover Defender — had been stationed near the BEST bus stop outside the station since around 9 am. “If a common man’s car had been parked there, it would have been fined or towed within minutes,” Rane said. “But when it comes to influential people, the rules suddenly don’t apply,” he posted on social media.
Senior Inspector Sandip More confirmed that the MLA was fined Rs 500
When the driver arrived, Rane confronted him and learned that the car belonged to an MLA from Nanded. A senior traffic officer was called to the spot, after which the vehicle’s details were finally retrieved, and a fine was issued. “This is exactly what frustrates ordinary citizens,” Rane said, adding, “Politicians and their associates break the law with impunity, while police often look the other way. The same officers who strictly enforce rules on the public hesitate when the powerful are involved.”
Dr Dipali Dhate, Deputy Commissioner of Police (HQ & Central), Traffic, while talking to Sunday mid-day, said, “In cases like these, either the vehicle is fined or vehicle is towed altogether. Here, it should have been towed but before vehicles are usually towed, police personnel are instructed to announce it — in case the driver is nearby. In this matter, the vehicle was fined.”
