BENGALURU: A KSRTC driver and a conductor have been suspended for illegally transporting four bags of silver lamps worth about Rs 15 lakh in an Airavat Club Class bus on the Bengaluru-Vijayawada route.The line-checking team of KSRTC’s Bengaluru central division team inspected the vehicle (KA 57 F2844) at 9pm near Hoskote toll gate on Thursday. After checking tickets issued to the passengers, officials inspected the luggage compartment where four bags were found without luggage tags of KSRTC.The consignment is suspected to be illegal as it lacked required documents like e-way bill and tax invoice. The bags had 699 silver lamps weighing 41kg, which is worth about Rs 15 lakh. Officials said driver Krishnamurthy and driver-cum-conductor N Narayanappa have been suspended with immediate effect.Officials from the commercial tax department visited the division office around 2am Friday and verified the silver lamps.KSRTC managing director Shivayogi C Kalsad ordered more inspections to prevent such malpractices. “If any crew is found involved in such illegal activities, stringent disciplinary action will be initiated,” he said.“A huge quantity of taxable goods (silver articles) was being transported from Bengaluru to Vijayawada without being covered by prescribed documents like e-way bill and tax invoice. We have confiscated the consignment as nobody came forward to claim ownership,” said R Ranganathappa, commercial tax officer. The department has instructed the driver and conductor to identify the owner of the goods.

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