The Punjab government’s purchase of new vehicles for the Road Safety Force, also known as the Sadak Surakhya Force, has come under sharp political and legal scrutiny. In late 2023, the government procured 144 Toyota Hilux SUVs to be deployed for highway patrol duties. While the move was initially presented as a major step towards strengthening road safety in the state, opposition leaders soon began questioning the financial transparency behind the deal.
Congress MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira has been one of the most vocal critics of the purchase. He alleged that the government paid an inflated price for the vehicles and failed to secure bulk discounts from the manufacturer, despite purchasing in large numbers. According to Khaira, the price per SUV was significantly higher than what could have been negotiated, leading to an estimated loss of around ₹15.44 crore to the state exchequer. He argued that this showed either negligence or deliberate mismanagement, and he demanded a probe into the matter.
Khaira also raised the issue on the floor of the Assembly and in public forums, questioning why no attempt was made to get competitive rates when such a large order was placed. He suggested that the procurement process lacked transparency and that the people of Punjab had the right to know why their tax money was not spent efficiently. His criticism was echoed by others who felt that the government’s claims of bringing in a corruption-free system were not matching ground realities.
In response, the Punjab government strongly denied any wrongdoing. The Chief Minister’s Office, through his Officer on Special Duty (OSD) Rajbir Singh, served Khaira with a legal notice for defamation. The notice demanded a written and public apology within 72 hours, claiming that his allegations were baseless and damaging to the government’s image. Rather than addressing the pricing details in public, the government’s move suggested that it considered the issue politically motivated rather than a genuine concern over financial losses.
The controversy has since moved into the legal arena. A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has been filed in the Punjab and Haryana High Court, alleging that each vehicle was overpriced by about ₹10.7 lakh compared to the actual market value. If this claim holds true, the total extra expenditure on the fleet would amount to more than ₹15 crore. The court case means that the matter will now undergo judicial scrutiny, which could either vindicate Khaira’s stand or strengthen the government’s defense.
At present, the issue remains unresolved. For the opposition, it has become a symbol of the ruling AAP government’s alleged lapses in governance and accountability. For the government, it is being portrayed as an attempt by political rivals to tarnish its image. Whether the purchase of the Toyota Hilux fleet turns out to be a genuine scam or simply a case of inflated political rhetoric will now likely be decided in the courtroom rather than in the Assembly.