Car parked at Bhopal police station, PUC made in Haryana:Rs 250 certificate produced for Rs 14; Bhaskar tracks down middlemen and network

India’s fight against rising air pollution is being severely compromised by a highly organised Haryana-based inter-state gang operating and issuing fraudulent Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificates right under the nose of the authorities. At a time when the Supreme Court has repeatedly expressed deep concern over deteriorating air quality across major cities, and state governments are spending large amounts on pollution-control measures, an illegal racket based in Haryana has found a way to completely bypass the pollution-checking system. An investigation by Dainik Bhaskar has revealed that this gang has managed to create a parallel PUC (Pollution Under Control) network that produces so-called valid certificates in just two minutes—without physically checking a vehicle’s emission levels. The only input required is a photograph of the number plate, sent over WhatsApp, followed by an online payment of Rs 40. Within minutes, a fully verified PUC certificate arrives on the customer’s phone. Over several days, Bhaskar reporters tested the racket repeatedly—sending the number plates of regular vehicles, commercial vehicles, a junked accident vehicle impounded by MP Nagar police station, and even the Fortuner used by a sitting MLA to the gang. Each time, without exception, a “pollution-free” PUC certificate was issued. The investigation not only exposes a dangerous loophole in India’s pollution-monitoring system but also raises serious questions about whether,
“The gang has gained unauthorised access to the government’s central Vahan portal?”, which records and verifies PUC certificates nationwide. How Bhaskar reached the nerve centre of the racket The probe began with an intelligence tip-off stating that a coordinated gang was offering fake PUC certificates through WhatsApp. Initial field checks revealed something strange: several MP vehicles were displaying PUC certificates issued from addresses in Haryana. Sensing a pattern, Bhaskar’s team began tracking suspicious numbers and message chains, eventually zeroing in on a mobile number: 93XXXXXXXX—allegedly the main control point of the racket. On 1 December, the reporter contacted the number. The first phone call went unanswered. Moments later, a message was sent on WhatsApp:
“Hello.” The response was immediate and cautious:
“Where did you get this number?” It was clear that the gang operated with a certain level of alertness. Voice calls were not allowed. The moment the reporter tried calling, the call was cut, and a message arrived:
“No calls, WhatsApp only.” To gain the gang’s trust, the reporter claimed to be an agent from Madhya Pradesh who handled vehicle documentation and PUC work, and mentioned being part of a “national agents group.” This strategy worked. The gang wanted to know what service was needed, and when told that PUC certificates were required, the tone became business-like. ₹40 per certificate: India’s cheapest route to becoming ‘pollution-free’ Once the gang was convinced, they shared their rate list. The reporter was told: The process was shockingly simple: To test this, the reporter clicked a picture of a loading auto in Bhopal’s old city and sent it over WhatsApp. After the payment was made, the fake certificate arrived in just 120 seconds. It showed the vehicle as compliant with emission norms and bore the name of a pollution-checking centre in Haryana. This was repeated with several private and commercial vehicles across the city. Every time, the result was identical—instant PUC certificates with no emissions tested. A junked car in police custody also gets a PUC certificate To push the investigation further, Bhaskar reporters went to the MP Nagar police station. Several impounded vehicles were parked there, many of them damaged beyond repair. Among them was a car (MP 04 ZX 8867) that was covered in dust, missing its windshield, and with the front number plate broken. The team photographed the rear number plate—still intact—and sent it to the gang. Within minutes, a PUC certificate was issued for the junked car, claiming it had passed emission norms. No questions were asked about the condition of the vehicle. This was perhaps the strongest evidence of the fraud: the gang did not need the vehicle—only the number. Even an MLA’s fortuner wasn’t spared The brazenness of the racket was tested even further when the Bhaskar team visited the Madhya Pradesh Assembly during the winter session. In the VIP parking area was a Fortuner (HR 98 H 4428) used by Rewa MLA Siddharth Tiwari. Its license plate was photographed and sent to the gang. Yet again, within minutes, a PUC certificate arrived. This proved the gang’s reach—any vehicle, whether belonging to ordinary citizens, police custody, or elected representatives, could be cleared as “pollution-free” instantly. The gang’s corporate-style business model: More fraud, more discounts As confidence grew between the reporter and the gang, the operators began offering bulk “plans,” similar to subscription packages. These plans were designed to attract vehicle agents, fleet operators, and transport companies. The gang openly encouraged forming groups to buy larger plans for maximum benefit. A gang member even said, We have many customers in MP. Some of them have taken combined plans. You can also create a group and send photos together. The gang demanded payment in advance—another sign of an organized, well-structured fraud network. Is the ‘Vahan’ Portal compromised? experts raise red flags Every PUC certificate generated by the gang passed online verification checks. This is alarming because online verification is tied directly to the Vahan portal, the government’s centralized database for vehicle records. Experts consulted by Bhaskar highlighted a disturbing possibility: The certificates generated by the gang bore the names of various pollution-check centres in Haryana—such as Deepak Pollution Checking Centre (Rohtak) and Jitendra Automobiles (Gurugram)—even though the process was completed entirely through WhatsApp. Generating multiple certificates from different centres in minutes is impossible without direct access to the portal. Transport Commissioner admits: Loophole exists due to system upgrades not implemented in some states Madhya Pradesh Transport Commissioner Vivek Sharma provided crucial clarification. He said that PUC certificates across India are issued through the Vahan portal. The system has two versions: 1. Version 1.0 (Old system) 2. Version 2.0 (New system) Sharma confirmed that: This loophole is what the gang is exploiting. Since Haryana still uses the old version, operators there can illegally generate certificates for vehicles from any state. What this means for India’s pollution control mechanism The Bhaskar investigation exposes a grave flaw in the country’s pollution monitoring system: This renders pollution norms meaningless and risks worsening air quality at a time when India is already battling dangerous AQI levels. The findings raise urgent questions about the security of the Vahan portal, the accountability of pollution-checking centres, and the implementation of stricter system upgrades across all states. Until these loopholes are closed, India’s pollution-control efforts will remain dangerously compromised—reduced to little more than a two-minute WhatsApp transaction.