Haryana man faces scrutiny after skipping payment for Rs 1.17 crore for fancy vehicle number

On Wednesday, Vij took note of the winner of the bid failing to pay the amount within the stipulated time.

Haryana Transport Minister Anil Vij has directed officials to verify the income and financial capacity of a Hisar resident who placed a staggering Rs 1.17 crore bid for a fancy vehicle number but failed to make the payment by the deadline. The man had won the online auction for registration number HR-88-B-8888, initially paying only Rs 1,000 as participation fee and Rs 10,000 as security deposit.

The Badhra sub-division in Charkhi Dadri district had received the state’s highest bid amount for the special number, but when the bidder did not pay the remaining amount by Monday, the minister intervened. “I have issued strict instructions to Transport Department officials to check the bidder’s actual income and property. It must be confirmed whether the person really has the financial capacity to bid Rs 1.17 crore,” Vij said.

With the payment not made, the bidder’s ₹10,000 security deposit will be forfeited and the number will be put up for reauction. Vij noted that Haryana allots fancy numbers only through auctions, which often see exceptionally high bids and contribute to state revenue.

However, he said the latest incident suggests that some people may be treating the auction process frivolously. He added that a written request is being sent to the Income Tax Department for a detailed probe “so that no one in the future participates in auctions on false financial claims or without sufficient economic ability.”