He used to collect fines from ticketless commuters

Mysore/Mysuru: A 35-year-old man, who was posing as a Train Ticket Examiner (TTE) and collecting fines from ticketless travellers and pocketing the amount, has been caught by alert Railway officials yesterday.

The arrested fake TTE has been identified as Mallesh, a resident of Kanakapura. He is now in the custody of Railway Police. The accused was collecting fines from ticketless travellers in Tipu Express train which was coming from Bengaluru to Mysuru by posing as a TTE.

P. Chetan, Deputy Chief Ticket Examiner of Train No. 12613 Mysuru – Bengaluru Tipu Express along with AC mechanic Ravi found the offender moving suspiciously wearing a fake Railway tag and carrying a walkie talkie in the train in half uniform. On enquiring about his whereabouts and identity they found him to be suspicious and immediately caught hold of him. They handed him over to the TTEs lobby in-charge at Mysuru C.S. Bhaskar. Mallesh is said to have tried to flee, but was apprehended.

Assistant Railway Commercial Manager Ranganatha Reddy conducted an enquiry during which it was confirmed that Mallesh, in the guise of a TTE was collecting money from the passengers.

“Mallesh, in the guise of a TTE was conducting checking of tickets and was also collecting money from ticketless passengers, which came to light during enquiry. As he had found an easy way to make money, he used to spend time in trains, change train routes everyday and conduct ticket checking besides collecting money without coming to the notice of Railway authorities. But this had come to the notice of Railway Protection Force (RPF) staff. Mallesh has been handed over to the Railway Police for further interrogation. A case has been registered and the Railway Police are collecting more information about him (Mallesh),” Ranganatha Reddy said.

Call Helpline

“We had received complaints a month ago that a TTE was collecting fines but was not giving the receipt for the fine amount. In this backdrop, the Railway officials had taken steps to nab Mallesh. If any passengers find anyone conducting ticket checking without wearing the identity card and tag provided by the Railways and collecting money without giving receipt, passengers should bring this to the notice of Railway authorities immediately by calling Helpline/ complaint numbers 139 or 182,” Reddy added.

Real TTE suspended!

Mallesh’s act had nearly cost the job of the real TTE who was suspended last month. On June 23, Mallesh, who posed as the TTE, had promised to get seats in the already filled Ajmer Train to seven persons of a family from Mysuru and had collected Rs. 7,000 from them for the same.

But the passengers travelled up to Hubballi without seats and Mallesh was with them till the train reached Hubballi and escaped.

The passengers had complained stating that the TTE, even after taking money had not provided them seats and not given the receipt for Rs. 7,000 which they had paid to him.

In this backdrop, the Railway authorities had suspended the real TTE as he was on duty on the Ajmer Train that day and an enquiry was ordered.

When Railway Police conducted an enquiry, Mallesh collecting Rs. 7,000 from the Mysuru family for providing seats came to light. The Railway Police are grilling Mallesh to collect more information about his act as a fake TTE.

“Once we receive a comprehensive report, we will revoke the suspension order of the real TTE,” a Railway official said.