Movable properties of drunk driving defaulters to be seized: Chennai police alert

Chennai: Chennai Police has warned that action will be taken to confiscate the movable property of those who do not pay fines in cases of drunk driving.

In a statement released by the Chennai Police Department, “Chennai Metropolitan Police Department is effectively enforcing the Motor Vehicle Act to reduce road traffic accidents. One of the main causes of road accidents is drunken driving. Therefore, drunken driving is punishable under the law as a strict deterrent.”

Many people don’t pay the fine as the fine amount is as high as Rs.10,000, but they don’t pay the fine even though they get calls on their phone numbers from the virtual division in the court. Another 7,532 cases of drunkenness are pending. Therefore, steps were taken to inform such violators about the pending cases through call centers located at 10 places in Chennai and summon them in person from 5.3.2023 to 11.3.2023 to complete the cases.

As a result 545 people attended the call centers of Chennai Metropolitan Traffic Police Department and paid their pending cases online. And since many paid outside the call centers, they collected the details of the cases completed with the help of the call centers and the fine amount from these call centers even though they had otherwise paid the fine. 816 cases have been settled in 10 call centers and fines amounting to Rs.84,62,500 have been paid through this series of activities.

In the last six weeks, 4,922 cases have been resolved through similar actions by call centers and Rs. 5,09,16,000 as penalty was paid. As a result, 5,738 pending cases of alcoholism were resolved through the call centers in the seventh week and a fine amount of Rs.5,93,78,500/- was collected. Through this series of actions, action will be taken against the Traffic Violators to solve the pending cases of alcohol intoxication.

It is also warned that a court order will be issued to confiscate not only the vehicle concerned but also any other vehicles, including movable property, of those driving under the influence of alcohol and not paying fines. “We inform you that already 347 court orders have been issued so far to confiscate the movable properties of those driving under the influence of alcohol and who have not paid fines and are in the process of implementation,” it said.