BALLARI: In a major breakthrough, the Ballari police have recovered 45 vehicles out of more than 120 cars that were reportedly stolen and fraudulently pledged to banks to secure loans. The recovered vehicles were returned to their actual owners following a court order.
The case involves a 35-year-old man from Raichur who allegedly rented cars from multiple owners under false pretenses and later used them as collateral to obtain loans from various financial institutions. A case was registered against the accused at the Brucepet Police Station in Ballari recently.
According to the police, the accused, identified as Mohammad Zahid Basha alias Sonu, who sold cars and pawned is currently absconding. Basha, a resident of Sindhanur, reportedly rented approximately 120 vehicles from various individuals and firms, paying around Rs 50,000 per month for each vehicle. He allegedly duped the owners by either selling or mortgaging the cars, instead of returning them.
The victims include individuals and organisations from Koppal and Raichur districts, with some cases involving banks, construction firms, and wind energy companies.
Police have registered multiple FIRs against Basha at Cowl Bazaar, Brucepet, Gandhinagar and APMC police stations in Ballari. Officials revealed that Basha not only failed to return the vehicles but also defaulted on rental payments. Using GPS tracking systems, police were able to trace and recover 44 vehicles, which have since been returned to their original owners.
Shobha Rani V J, SP, Ballari, has issued a stern warning to those who may have unknowingly purchased vehicles from Basha at throwaway prices. Possessing stolen goods is a punishable offence, she said, urging buyers to voluntarily return the vehicles to avoid legal consequences.