Bengaluru, Feb 1: The Bengaluru police with the help of Andhra Pradesh transport department busted notorious inter-state car theft racket and arrested seven-members of this gang and seized 48 high-end cars valued at about Rs 4 crore from them, Deputy Commissioner of police (East Division) S. D. Sharanappa said here on Monday.
The notorious gang comprises of 10 members and three of them are still on the run.
According to the police , except for J. Riyaz all other accused hailed from Hindupur, Anantapur District of Andhra Pradesh.
The police said in its statement that the arrested have been identified as J. Riyaz (Bengaluru), Sheik Mukatayar, Y. vinod, Ramesh Naidu, Narasimha Reddy, T. Prabhakar and Dhakli Naresh.
The other three associates of the gang — Inayat, Salim, Suhel and Jabi — are still at large, the statement further stated.
The DCP told reporters that the modus operandi of this gang was to identify a car owner who failed to repay their EMIs on time.
“Their primary target used to be those who could not afford to pay their EMIs in time and pay them the initial amount towards advance payment. The accused used to procure original documents of the vehicle after assuring the original vehicle owners that they would continue to repay ‘their’ installments on time,” the DCP explained.
After obtaining original papers, the gang used to get this vehicles registered in Andhra Pradesh as a new car at Hindupur Regional Transport Officer’s (RTO) office through Sheikh Muktayar and his associates including Vinod, Ramesh Naidu, T. Prabhakar, Chakli Naresh and others who were working as clerks and agents.
However, this first comes to the notice of Anantapur Deputy Transport Commissioner N. Sivaram Prasad, after getting complaints about registration of Karnataka vehicles without NOC in AP39 RTO, he initiates internal inquiry and finds several anomalies by his own subordinates.
“Based on his preliminary inquiry and investigations, he suspends erring RTOs and has files complaint in this regard with the local police too. The case then gets referred to Bengaluru East division and investigations lead to 52 luxurious cars like Toyota Innovas being stolen by this gang and sold in Andhra Pradesh, Of these 52 cars, we have seized 48 vehicles from this gang,” the police officer explained.
The police has registered a case and is investigating, while elated over the seizure the Bengaluru police commissioner Kamal Pant has also announced the cash prize in appreciation to K. G. Halli police for cracking the case.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Mumbai (PTI): Despite facing criticism, senior Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan on Wednesday stood by his controversial comments that India faced a "total defeat" in aerial fight with Pakistan on the first day of Operation Sindoor on May 7.
The former Union minister refused to apologise for his comments on the Indian military operation against terror hubs in Pakistan and PoK in aftermath of massacre of tourists at Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir in April.
Talking to reporters in Pune on Tuesday, Chavan claimed India faced a "total defeat in the aerial fight (with Pakistan) on May 7 which lasted for half-an-hour".
"One may believe this or not. After that the Indian Air Force got grounded and not a single aircraft took flight that day.... be it Gwalior, Bhatinda or Sirsa, there was a possibility of aircraft being shot down, so our complete Air Force was grounded," the former Maharashtra chief minister had said.
Hitting out at Chavan, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde accused the Congress of speaking the language of Pakistan. He said questioning the military action was akin to demoralising the morale of armed forces.
ALSO READ: New safety wristbands launched for children at Makkah’s Grand Mosque
"The criticism does not stem from the love of the nation, but love for Pakistan," said the chief leader of the Shiv Sena, a key constituent of the BJP-led NDA.
Chavan, however, remained defiant.
"There is no question of apologising. The Constitution has given me the right to ask questions," the Congress veteran asserted.
Chavan also questioned the need of having a 12-lakh strong Army when future wars will be about aerial combats and missiles. "During Operation Sindoor we saw that there was no movement of the Army even for a kilometre," he had said.
BJP Lok Sabha MP and spokesperson Sambit Patra said Chavan's remarks are loaded with sedition.
"He (Chavan) has refused to apologise. The Indian armed forces struck 100 kms inside the Pakistan territory and destroyed 11 air strips (of the Pakistani Air Force). He made remarks that the Indian Army did not even move an inch (during the military operation). This is nothing but a statement full of sedition, a statement of a traitor," Patra said, lashing out at the Congress leader.
The BJP spokesperson maintained the Congress appears to be standing with Chavan and alleged the Opposition party is playing into foreign hands.
Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra should apologise for it, he added.
Union minister Giriraj Singh of the BJP insisted it was not right to devalue the valour of Indian armed forces.
Samajwadi Party MP Virendra Singh suggested that wherever armed forces are concerned, every Indian should be mindful of statements they make and ensure their comments do not demoralise the military.
Operation Sindoor was a result of "mistakes of politicians", he claimed.
TDP MP Krishna Devraylu said after the poll defeat in Bihar, the Congress is rattled and their leaders have been talking absurdly.
"Chavan's remarks are a prime example of this. This kind of disrespect to our armed forces is not necessary. If the Congress is angry with the NDA, it should show it in a different way and not drag armed forces into it," Devraylu opined.
AAP MP Ashok Mittal said such statements should not be made by any senior politician, especially by someone who has been a former chief minister.
The Indian armed forces registered a strong victory and destroyed terror launchpads in Pakistan during Operation Sindoor, Mittal added.
