Bangalore, Jul 5 (Bangalore Mirror): Retired Justice M F Saldanha is guilty of misusing the red beacon light. The former high court judge is not entitled to have the red light atop his private car. The transport department said on Monday that his car, with the beacon, would be seized wherever it is spotted.

A Karnataka transport department's notification lists 37 dignitaries who are allowed to use the red beacon on official vehicles. Saldanha is not among them.

Transport commissioner T Shaam Bhat said, “Following the Bangalore Mirror expose, I have instructed my officials to be on the lookout for Saldanha's car. I have told them to seize it on the spot. Also, we will be watching for other cars making unauthorised use of the red beacon.” (Retired judge takes a ‘short cut’ with a pair of scissors)

Chief justice of the high court and judges still in service are the only members of the judiciary autho-rised to use the beacon. Former judges can do it only if they hold constitutional or statutory positions, such as Lokayukta and Upa Lok-ayukta of Karnataka. Saldanha holds no such post.

“A former judge cannot have a red beacon on his private car. It's a violation of rules,” joint commissioner of transport department (enforcement) Vijay Vikram said. “To curb the misuse of beacon lights, we proposed to the state government four months ago to frame a rule which will label unauthorised people using beacon lights as threats to national security.”

In the past, many IAS and IPS officers have been told to remove beacon lights from cars. As per the rules, the light could be seized from an unauthorised user, and s/he could be fined Rs 300.