On Sunday (October 16), the Madhya Pradesh Police registered an FIR against a bus driver named Salman Khan for allegedly changing the scrolling text on the LED display board of the bus to an abusive phrase to settle scores with his employer. The driver was employed on the Satna-Indore bus by Satish Sukheja, the owner of the Sukheja Bus Service.
According to the reports, Sukheja registered a complaint against the driver after he hacked the LED destination showing board and changed it to display ‘Madar***d Sukheja’ instead. The incident came to light reportedly after a video, that showed a bus standing at Satna Bus Stand displaying abusive words for the bus owner, went viral over social media.
सतना से इंदौर जाने वाली सुखेजा बस सर्विस के मालिक ने अपने एक कंडक्टर को गाली देकर नौकरी से निकाल दिया उसने गाली का बदला किस प्रकार लिया, आप बस डिस्प्ले देखकर समझ जाएंगे उसने जाते जाते display CPU का पासवर्ड बदल दिया है । अब नया CPU इंस्टाल होगा जिसकी कीमत 55000 है🤣 😂 #घोरकलजुग pic.twitter.com/xaPFZzam8V
— अपूर्व اپوروا Apurva Bhardwaj (@grafidon) October 19, 2022
Surprisingly, neither the bus driver nor the Sukheja Travels employees were aware of the hateful reprogrammed message that was flashing across the windscreen. As word spread, the owner of the bus service ordered the display to be removed and reported the matter to the Kolgawan police station in Satna. The complaint was filed by the manager of the company, Anil Kumar Pathak.
Pathak, in his complaint, stated that Khan had done this to malign the image of the Sukheja Company. He also added that only Salman had the password for the display board of bus number MP19 P 7782. It is further mentioned in the complaint that the accused was not working for Sukheja Company for the past 5-6 months. Pathak who has been working with the company for the past 22 years has demanded strict action against the accused.
Reports mention that Khan was fired by his employer and that he meddled with the code to display abusive words for him to take revenge against the company. The owner is looking at a Rs 55,000 expense to replace the language on the display board, which might include replacing the CPU.
Owner of the company, Satish Sukheja confirmed to OpIndia that he had fired the accused as he was incapable of driving the vehicle after evenings. “He used to wear high power spectacles and it was dangerous to risk the lives of people travelling. I had offered him to drive a small four-wheeler but then he was fired”, Sukheja said.
According to Sukheja, the drivers at the company are employed on the basis of driving licenses and Khan has attached a photo without glasses on his driving license. “He worked for a month or so and then was asked to leave”, Sukheja confirmed. Reports mention that it was probably after this that Salman tried to defame the company.
During Khan’s appointment, Sukheja had asked the RTO officers how could they issue a license to a person who used high-power eye glasses but the departmental officials happened to shrug off the fact and had said that Salman was fit to drive. The accused is absconding after an official complaint has been filed in his name.
While talking to OpIndia, bus owner Satish Sukheja said that he was earlier very secular and had many Muslim friends and employees. “.. but now I am more cautious than secular especially after Khan broke my trust and tried to defame me and my company”, he added.
OpIndia has attained a copy of Salman’s driving license in which he can be seen wearing no eyeglasses. The driving license was issued to him in January 2021 and its validity is till March 2039. Salman’s father’s name is Shamsuddin and he is a native of the Panna district. OpIndia also tried to contact Salman on his available number to know his side but the number was said to be out of service.
