Supreme Court lawyer smells scam in number plate project

Suren Uppal, the Supreme Court advocate who recently complained to the Prime Minister's office on the Essar phone tapping issue, has complained to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on the High Security Registration Plates (HSRP) project in the state. This complaint has also been sent to Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy and Chief Secretary Aravind Jadhav. 

In his 51-page complaint with 455 pages of documents, Uppal has explained in detail the HSRP scandal.

He claimed that two companies - Rosmarta Technologies and Linkpoint Infrastructure, both shortlisted as L1 and L2 for the implementation of HSRP in Karnataka, are the same.

Both these companies, along with Utsav Safety Systems, Celex Technologies and 35 other companies, are governed and controlled by one Vivek Nagpal, the complaint said.

The dossier submitted by Uppal talks in detail about the collusion of transport officials, including Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, resulting in blatant violation of Rule 50 of Motor Vehicles Act, Motor Vehicle Rules and various Supreme Court orders in the implementation of HSRP project. The complaint points out various illegalities committed by Nagpal's companies in the implementation of driving licences and RC book smart card scheme in Delhi, citing a report by the Dr S C Vats Committee constituted by the Delhi Legislative Assembly.

The complaint claimed that Nagpal was named as an accused in the FIR registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and was also chargesheeted. Nagpal was also debarred by Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) from accessing the security market for five years from 16/10/2007.

The dossier also mentions the hawala transactions of Rosmarta Technologies through Rosmarta Technologies Holdings Ltd UK, whose investors were Lotus Global Investments Ltd registered in Mauritius.

Interestingly, Nagpal and his wife Aarti have made investments in British Virgin Islands (BVI), according to the Panama paper leaks. In his complaint, Uppal has requested the Chief Minister to blacklist the companies shortlisted and call for fresh tenders.

Company reaction
The representatives of Rosmerta Technologies Ltd said that it is not related to Linkpoint Infrastructure Pvt Ltd in any manner.

In its reaction, the company claimed that Suren Uppal is a front for its competitor in the business, Nitin Shah, who controls Shimnit Utsch India Pvt Ltd.