Police to 'charge' you for crank calls

Updated on: 04 January,2011 08:18 AM IST |
Atul Krishan |

A hoax call to PCR can now earn you a fine of Rs 10,000 and a jail term

A hoax call to PCR can now earn you a fine of Rs 10,000 and a jail term

Next time you dial 100 to call a PCR van, make sure you have a valid reason. Or else be ready to pay a fine of up to Rs 10,000 and a jail term too.

Holding the phone: Delhi Police officers inspect religious items outside the
Sai Baba Temple on Lodi Road in New Delhi, during a bomb call, that was
later found to be a hoax. file pic

According to the sources, an amendment is being planned in Delhi Police Act that will empower the force to penalise the hoax callers. The proposal to such effect has been sent to Ministry of Home Affairs, the sources added.

Earlier, police used to take action against only those callers who used to give false alerts regarding the bombs. Now after the amendment comes in force, the police can take action against anyone who makes any kind of frivolous calls to PCR. The amendment proposes a fine of Rs 10,000 and imprisonment up to three months for a hoax call, the sources said.

Last year, Delhi Police got 22,000 bogus calls. Every day, Delhi Police receives around 30 to 35 bogus calls. "Whenever a PCR call is made, we have to reach there. If the call is made over petty issues and doesn't need a PCR van to be there, a lot of our time gets wasted," said and official.