Electric vehicles are supposed to be the clean heroes of our roads—silent, green, and free of tailpipe emissions. But apparently, no vehicle is safe from the long arm of the challan book. Not even an EV.

In a bizarre incident that has set social media on fire, an electric vehicle owner from Haryana shared screenshots of an e-challan that fined his Tata Punch EV a whopping ₹10,000 for causing pollution.

 

The challan even included photos of the vehicle proudly wearing its green number plate. 

Additionally, a separate fine of ₹2,000 was issued for overspeeding, although the challan reportedly did not mention the vehicle’s recorded speed.

The post quickly gained traction, amassing over 4.5 lakh views and triggering sharp criticism of the Haryana Police. Netizens questioned how an electric vehicle, known for producing zero exhaust emissions, could be charged for air pollution, calling the penalty illogical and unjustified.

Following the online backlash, the Haryana Police responded by asking the vehicle owner to share their contact details, indicating that the matter may be reviewed.

Social media users did not hold back in expressing their disbelief and sarcasm. One user joked that the EV might have been “charged using electricity from a diesel generator.”

Several users also questioned the transparency of the overspeeding fine, with some alleging that such penalties appear to be imposed without adequate evidence.