New Delhi, March 30 (IANS) The Delhi High Court Wednesday directed the Delhi Police chief to probe the complaint about the alleged nexus between the police and the illegal parking mafia in the city.

A division bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justice Sanjiv Khanna, while issuing notices to police and the Delhi government, directed Delhi Police Commissioner B.K Gupta to carry out an investigation into the issue.

"Any nexus of this kind between the police and parking mafia will not be entertained. It is the obligation of police to curb the menace," the court said.

The court fixed May 4 for the next hearing.

A public interest litigation filed by Shamsher Kaushik through his lawyer R.K. Singh alleged that a parking contractor, Narender Kumar Sharma, has illegally encroached the car parking area of Mangalam Commercial Plaza in Rohini.

He also alleged that the encroachment was done with help from the local police.

According to the petitioner, Sharma was given contract for two-wheeler parking, but he illegally encroached the adjacent area meant for free parking of four-wheelers and started charging exorbitant parking fee from people.

"The parking areas in Delhi are also a breeding ground for all kinds of criminal activities, and if law enforcement agencies are taking over the parking areas and running them, it will be a heavy blow to justice," the petitioner said, seeking an enquiry into the issue.

"Anyone who dared to complain was threatened by the police personnel who were always present there to protect the contractor and his goons," the petitioner added.

The petition also pointed out that there was a revenue loss of lakhs of rupees to the government due to such illegal activities.