FIRs for wrong-side driving only in 'serious' cases: Delhi Traffic Police
New Delhi (PTI): The registration of FIRs against motorists for wrong-side driving will be a 'selective' measure rather than a blanket policy, with criminal action reserved as a last resort, a senior official with the Delhi Traffic Police said on Wednesday.
Police have registered at least eight FIRs for wrong-side driving. The officer said the traffic police's primary approach would continue to focus on organising awareness drives and issuing challans and notices for violations.
He said that FIRs would be filed only in instances where the violation poses a life-threatening risk or involves repeat offenders.
"The FIR will largely depend on the nature of the offence. If it is life-threatening or has the potential to cause a serious accident, criminal action may be initiated," the officer said.
He added that repeat violations would be a key factor in the decision.
Police will also assess whether the violation occurred due to a genuine mistake, such as a lack of signage or unclear road directions, before deciding on an FIR, the officer said.
Special Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Neeraj Thakur told PTI the move aims to deter reckless behaviour on roads without criminalising minor or routine infractions.
He said that police would exercise discretion in enforcement, particularly where inadequate signage or a lack of clear directions led to a genuine mistake.
The shift towards stricter enforcement began in the last week of December to curb dangerous driving and reduce road accidents. This comes after the recent registration of FIRs for wrong-side driving under section 281 (rash driving) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Motor Vehicles Act. This marks a first for the national capital.
Police clarified that these offences are bailable and the accused were released on bail after arrest.
The first FIR was filed on January 3 at Delhi Cantt police station against Aman, a resident of Uttar Pradesh's Shahjahanpur, for allegedly driving his car at high speed on the wrong side near the Hanuman Mandir red light.
The case was registered under Section 281 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and relevant provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act, police said, adding that the accused was arrested and later released on bail.
Two subsequent FIRs were filed on January 5 at Kapashera and Vasant Kunj South police stations against Ankit Gaur, who was riding a motorcycle, and Sanij Kumar, who was driving a car, respectively.
The next five FIRs were registered on January 6 at Chanakyapuri police station against a car driver, at Vasant Kunj South against another car driver, at Kishangarh against a scooter rider, at Tughlaq Road against a car driver and at Mandir Marg against an auto-rickshaw driver.
Traffic police data shows a rise in enforcement, with challans increasing to 1,44,490 in 2025 from 1,04,720 in 2024, while the number of notices issued dropped to 1,27,395 from 1,78,448 in 2024.
While such violations were previously handled through fines and licence suspensions, officials said the rise in accidents on arterial roads during peak hours necessitated this revised, more stringent approach.
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Cong claims BJP govts got its 9 AI videos deleted, calls it 'blatant misuse' of rules
New Delhi (PTI): The Congress on Thursday claimed that nine of its videos created using artificial intelligence have been "forcefully deleted" by BJP governments at the Centre and in states, and said Prime Minister Narendra Modi should work in the nation's interest instead of "curbing" every voice of dissent.
The opposition party alleged that the deletion of the videos was a "blatant misuse" of the blocking rules against political adversaries and that there was a complete lack of transparency in the process.
There was no immediate response from the government or the BJP to the Congress' allegations.
Congress social media department head Supriya Shrinate alleged that the Modi government has left no stone unturned in strangling India's artificial intelligence (AI) potential.
"First, by handing over all our data to America in the trade deal, and now, amid the embarrassing mismanagement at the ongoing AI summit and the shameful revelations of theft and imitation that have tarnished India's image.
"But ironically, the same Narendra Modi, who makes grand statements about AI, actually fears artificial intelligence," she said at a press conference here.
In the last six weeks, nine videos created by the Congress using AI have been "forcefully deleted" by the "coward" prime minister, his central and BJP state governments, Shrinate claimed.
"Let me make it absolutely clear (that) all these videos carried the legally required AI disclaimer. Throughout the entire duration of the videos, 'AI-generated video' is prominently displayed at the top, which clearly proves that there was no attempt to mislead or deceive anyone," she said.
Yet, Prime Minister Modi himself and the BJP are so terrified of the truth that they are even afraid of its dramatic AI representation, she claimed.
"These videos show how cowardly Prime Minister Modi turned his back on his responsibility by telling General Naravane and the Army... How Modi compromised India's national interest while pursuing a trade deal with America," Shrinate said.
She claimed that some deletion orders for these AI videos were sent to social media platforms by police in BJP-ruled states like Bihar, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra while some came directly from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology under Union minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.
"This is blatant misuse of the blocking and the IT Rules, 2021, against political adversaries. There is a complete lack of transparency on why a video is being taken down, there is no public order but complete secrecy. Which is why there is no ground for challenging these blockings and deletions in court. At least tell us what was illegal in these videos, what has been violated," Shrinate said.
"This is how authoritarian regimes work -- by giving orders to social media platforms to take down or block content arbitrarily in complete secrecy," she said.
The Congress leader said she welcomes curbing deep fakes and asked if political satires with AI disclaimers are the same.
"Is the government objecting to political satire and commentary on the prime minister which is perfectly legitimate in any democracy?" she asked.
Amid the controversy over Galgotias University displaying a made-in-China robotic dog as its own innovation at the India AI Impact Summit, Shrinate asked when the PM can pass off others' work as his own and rename Congress schemes to fool people, why wouldn't the rest of the country do the same.
"When the prime minister spends the whole day spouting rhetoric, those who steal and imitate are emboldened. When scientific temper is abandoned and superstition and delusions are encouraged, robots will not be built, they will just be bought from China.
"Imitation is not innovation, but does the government care? Modi ji, no matter what you say, your legacy is that private university which has brought us global shame," she said.
"Instead of getting AI videos deleted and curbing every voice of dissent and disagreement, PM Modi, you should work in the nation's interest, stop bowing before America, talk about farmers' rights, don't run away from Parliament, throw out your minister who has connections with a monster like Epstein, and stop compromising the country for Adani," Shrinate said.
