The ill-fated bus which plunged into the canal near Kanaganamaradi village in Mandya district was declared “not road worthy” by the Dakshina Kannada Regional Transport Authority two years ago.
“The RTA meeting convened by deputy commissioner in 2016 had cancelled the certificate of fitness (FC) and stage carriage permit of the bus bearing registration number KA-19/A-5676 since the vehicle was more than 15 years old,” Senior Motor Vehicle Inspector and in-charge Assistant Regional Transport Officer John Misquith told DH.
The bus, named “Rajkumar” has been sold eight times till now. One Shambhavi Gujaran sold the vehicle to Srinivas of Mandya on April 1, 2015.
It was first registered in the name of Shankara Vittalla Motor Company in 2001 June, according to sources in the RTA. It was plying on route number 16 (Hampanakatte-Sultan Batheri) in Mangaluru.
Shivaraj Shetty of Rajkumar Travels told DH that his firm operated the same bus on Mangaluru-Kateel-Balkunje route before selling it in 2010.