₹600 Crore Rajasthan RTO Scam: How ‘Ghost Registrations’ Were Sold
A massive vehicle registration fraud worth over ₹600 crore has been uncovered in Rajasthan, shaking the state’s transport department. Investigators say a network of officials and middlemen allegedly recycled old or inactive vehicle numbers and reassigned them to new cars.
The scheme, now widely referred to as the “ghost registration” scam, exploited gaps in the vehicle registration system and targeted buyers interested in rare or premium number plates.
What Is The ‘Ghost Registration’ Scam
The scam involved reusing registration numbers from vehicles that had already been scrapped, abandoned or were no longer operational. In several cases, the numbers belonged to vehicles whose official records had been lost, destroyed or never properly documented.
These dormant registration numbers were revived and then assigned to newly registered vehicles. Buyers willing to pay large sums for special or low-digit registration numbers were reportedly targeted.
Investigators say these recycled numbers were sold for between ₹4 lakh and ₹5 lakh each, even though many of them had originally been issued for as little as ₹21,000.
How The RTO Scam Worked
According to investigators, brokers first identified dormant vehicle registrations that could be revived. With the help of insiders, these numbers were then reactivated in the vehicle registry system.
Officials allegedly manipulated records and used forged or outdated documents to assign these numbers to newly registered vehicles, including luxury cars.
Once the numbers became active again, middlemen sold them to customers looking for rare or prestigious number combinations.
Investigation And Government Action
The fraud first came to light in March 2025 when authorities noticed a sudden spike in transactions involving vintage registration numbers. Suspicious activity was particularly visible towards the end of the month.
A formal case was registered in Jaipur on March 31, 2025, after transport officials flagged irregular transactions. The investigation later expanded to multiple districts across Rajasthan.
Authorities issued notices to more than 2,000 vehicle owners whose registrations carried questionable vintage numbers. Many of these registrations were also marked as “Not To Be Transacted”, blocking vehicle transfers or ownership changes.
The probe has already led to disciplinary action against several individuals. One of the officials suspended in connection with the case was the RTO of Dausa. FIRs have also been registered against multiple brokers and transport department officials as the investigation continues.
