Bengaluru man arrested for running fake HSRP registration website

Mumbai police recently arrested a 57-year-old man, Vinod Vyankat Bawale, from Bengaluru for allegedly running a fake website to deceive vehicle owners under the guise of High Security Registration Plate (HSRP) registration. The case, investigated by the South Region Cyber Police, came to light after Maharashtra’s Transport Department filed a complaint about several fraudulent HSRP registration links circulating online. 

Also Read: Bengaluru: Vehicle owners not having carried out HSRP registration to be fined Rs 500 from June 1st

According to the police, Bawale had created and shared six fake website links across various platforms, tricking users into paying more than government-mandated fee for HSRP registration. These links not only misled vehicle owners but also caused financial losses to the state government.

Following a detailed investigation, Mumbai police tracked Bawale’s involvement, travelled to Bengaluru, and took him into custody. Authorities are currently searching for additional individuals connected to the scam. 

As per Supreme Court directives, HSRPs are mandatory for vehicles to prevent crimes and enhance national security. In Maharashtra, the government has initiated the replacement of number plates for vehicles registered before April 1, 2019. The official transport department website provides the correct registration process, with three authorized vendors: Rosmerta Safety Systems, Real Mazon India, and FTA HSRP Solutions. Rosmerta and Real Mazon were the first to alert officials about the scam.