Vehicle modification: Kerala HC takes tough stand, asks officials to take stringent action

Kochi: Kerala High Court has come out against unauthorised vehicle modifications suggesting stringent action from the part of Motor Vehicles Department. While giving instructions to the enforcement officers regarding this, HC has asked them to collect the videos and photos of modified vehicles operating in the state. 

Enforcement officers have been asked to slap a fine of Rs.5000/- from the owners of the vehicles for each of the illegal modifications made. The court has asked the officials to produce the impounded vehicle and the visuals of violations before the magistrate. The magistrate court will decide about the custody of the vehicles and other proceedings in connection with the violations. 

The directions come in the wake of the setting up of a swimming pool inside the vehicle of YouTuber Sanju Techy that the court has taken a suo moto case. 

As per the instruction of the court, the registration of the vehicle seized in connection with modifications should be suspended or cancelled. The officials have been asked to suspend the license of the drivers of such vehicles for three months. 

HC has banned the shooting of video from the cabin of the driver while the vehicle is on the move. If such activities are found, stringent measures would be initiated against such people. The court has also said that legal proceedings should be initiated against vloggers who spread videos containing violations of the law, based on the Motor Vehicles Act. 

The court has asked the officials to collect the videos of the illegal use of vehicles shared on YouTube and other social media, by the vloggers and vehicle owners.