Picture Courtesy: Suman Pradhan
A man has been going around shops at Babesa in Thimphu in the last few days, impersonating trade inspectors and checking their business licences. The shopkeepers BBS talked to said that the person comes to their shops and checks the validity of their licences. If their licences were found expired, they said they were asked by the man to update their licences. They also said that the man warned them that they would be penalised if they did not update their licences. The man is also said to have asked the shopkeepers if he should help them renew their licences on the pretext of allegedly conning them.
A CCTV footage BBS obtained from a shopkeeper in Babesa taken at around 9:30 PM on Monday reveals the man asking a shopkeeper to show him the trade licence. Another footage shows the man conducting himself in a similar manner.
The owner of the shop said the man told him that he was an official from the trade department and came to check the validity of his licence.
The shopkeeper said that he did not show the licence as he doubted the man looking at his dress.
The man is said to have visited more than 10 shops in and around Babesa carrying two files with business licences.
“Firstly he was so rude to us and then I ask for his ID Card. When I checked his ID card, I found out that it was handwritten. I asked him why he was coming late at night to my shop. He was saying it was a surprise inspection. He was carrying a lot of licences but I didn’t show my license,” said Suman Pradhan, a shopkeeper.
“He told me that my licence was expired and I checked it and came to know that it was expired on 15th July. Then, I said I was sorry and that I would renew it tomorrow. Then he said that we would have to pay a penalty and that we would be penalised. He then warned us to renew it tomorrow itself and asked if the trade officials are supposed to do it for us,” said Chandra Kala Gurung, another shopkeeper.
One of the shopkeepers visited the trade office in Thimphu yesterday to verify the authenticity of the man. The shopkeeper said that a trade official told him that the man does not work for the department.
BBS confirmed with the Department of Trade today that the person is not an employee of the department. The department also said that they have not seen the man before. The department told BBS that they have asked the shopkeeper to lodge a complaint against the man as his conduct is a criminal and deceptive practice.
The department added that trade officials go for inspection in groups wearing office cards. According to the department, it is important to check if a person claiming to be a trade official is carrying a valid card or not.
Some shopkeepers who refused to comment on camera said that the man also visited their shops claiming that he was a trade official and took alcohol without paying.
Meanwhile, the police said that they have not received any written complaints as of now.
Karma Wangdi
Edited by Kipchu
