Urban management authorities of Pudong New Area in Shanghai said Tuesday that local transport supervisors did not entrap a van driver while investigating illegal cab operations.
The authorities announced the judgement in an investigation report on an alleged unlicensed cab operation by a 19-year-old driver named Sun Zhongjie last Wednesday.
The young man was so upset over the accusation that he cut off a piece of his little finger of his left hand to prove his innocence. He was sent to hospital immediately for surgery. But he said the doctor told him the finger may never recover its normal function.
The case aroused concern from the municipal government, which on Sunday responded in a statement that it would look into the situation.
"Enforcement of traffic rules must conform to the law. Illegal enforcement will be punished once proved," the statement said.
The Tuesday report by the urban management authorities of Pudong New Area said the local transport supervisors' enforcement "was legitimate, and related means to collect evidence was not inappropriate".
According to the report, the local urban management authorities made thorough probe into the case in line with requirement of the municipal government. They found that at around 8:00 p.m. on Oct. 14, local transport supervisors detected Sun was conducting "illegal cab operation" near No. 188 Zhahang Road in Pudong New Area.
The passenger involved in the case told the urban management authorities that Sun agreed on a cab fare of 10 yuan (1.47 U.S. dollars) after a discussion and when asked about whether he had a cab license, Sun said "no".
However, there was another story from Sun himself.
Arriving in Shanghai only two days earlier from his hometown in Henan province, the young man, driving a mini van, was sent by his employer, Shanghai Pangyuan Construction Machinery Engineering Company, to pick up someone at Hangtou Town in Pudong district last Wednesday night.
"It was late and there were few cars on the street," Sun was quoted as saying by Tuesday's China Daily.
"Then I saw a man standing in the middle of the road and waving to me. I stopped the car and he opened the door and got in without asking me. Then he told me he was sick and cold, begging for a lift.
"I started the car. And in three minutes, at an intersection, a van slid from the right side and stopped in front of me."
Sun stopped the car and the hitchhiker threw a 10-yuan-note to Sun and jumped out. He disappeared when several people walked up to him and claimed they were from transport enforcement.
"I thought they were robbers. I wanted to call police and they grabbed my phone. They told me that I had engaged in a illegal cab operation, which is not true," he said.
The vehicle was confiscated and they asked him to go to their office later to pay the fine and claim the van. Sun will have to pay 10,000 yuan (1,466 U.S. dollars) of fine if the charge is proven true.
Sun believed it was obviously entrapment and "felt so angry and insulted" that he cut off his finger to protest the alleged trap. |
