Patna: A report on the functioning of jam busters will get delayed as the inquiry team led by Patna senior superintendent of police (SSP) Manu Maharaaj is waiting to speak to Patna traffic superintendent of police P.K. Das - on leave at the moment.

Patna divisional commissioner Anand Kishor had ordered setting up of a five-member inquiry committee to probe the manner in which jam busters function in Patna. The report was sought within 20 days but it is already a week late.

The decision was taken after Kishor received many complaints through SMS, phone calls and WhatsApp, saying jam-buster trucks were towing away legally parked vehicles. The five-member inquiry team is led by SSP Maharaj and also consists of City superintendent of police (Central) D Amarkesh, divisional commissioner secretary K.N. Singh, Patna district transport officer Ajay Kumar Thakur and a deputy superintendent of police-rank officer from the office of Patna zonal inspector-general of police N.H. Khan.

"I have convened another meeting on December 9 and we still need to get the explanation from traffic SP, who is on leave at present," SSP Maharaaj said when asked about the probe report. "We cannot submit a report without the traffic SP's explanation."

The report would be submitted to the inspector-general of police (IG) Patna zone, Nayyar Hasnain Khan, and Patna divisional commissioner Anand Kishor. Kishor will take further action based on the report.

Patna traffic police launched the jam-buster service in August last year to check unauthorised parking. But residents complained of rude behaviour by the staff and of their vehicles being towed away even when properly parked. The most common complaint was of not showing a photograph of the wrong parking. According to rules, the jam buster staff should click pictures of wrongly parked vehicles and present those as proof to vehicle-owners when they come to pay the fine.

Twelve jam buster trucks are pressed into service and, on an average, they tow away 10-15 cars and 40-50 bikes daily. They charge Rs 750 (cars) and Rs 345 (bikes) as fine. Of the fine, only Rs 100 goes to the government and the rest to the private agency.

Maharaaj said the report would take 2-3 days after the December 9 meeting. Asked for any hints against anybody in the initial probe, Maharaj said: "I cannot speak on the investigation now, because it will create confusion. Wait for the final report."