HYDERABAD: Thorlapati Kiran, who earned Rs 80,000 per month, was under influence of an unknown drug when he zoomed away on Rs 5.7 lakh Harley Davidson Street-750 on September 1.
The 28-year-old IIT-Madras post-graduate, who harboured a desire to go on long rides on the luxury two-wheeler, was dissuaded by his family from buying the bike. Finally, he resorted to the theft to fulfil his wish. Even a four-wheeler could not quench his longing for the roar of a Harley. He owns a Nissan car for which he was paying Rs 15,000 per month as EMI.
Though he earned a five-figure salary, police said Kiran’s family led a moderate lifestyle, and felt they cannot afford the bike. “The family felt it didn’t have the purchasing capacity,” said West Zone DCP A Venkateshwar Rao, at a press conference on Saturday at Banjara Hills Police Station.
In fact, Kiran tried to buy the bike in 2014, but was stopped by his family.
On Tuesday afternoon, the accused visited Harley Davidson showroom in Banjara Hills, produced fake licence with the name of Syed Taher, submitted wrong phone number, and took the bike for a test-ride.
However, he deviated from the test-ride route, and made a getaway to Mumbai city with the bike bearing temporary registration number AP 09 TC 140. He was caught by Banjara Hills police, and brought to Hyderabad along with the bike on Saturday.
Kiran had called the showroom earlier from his number before visiting it to inform he would come to check the bike out. The number, and CCTV images helped the police identify him. After an exhausting 16-hour ride, Kiran reached ONGC’s hostel at Mumbai at about 8 am. of September 2. He parked his bike at the hostel. However, after watching news about him, he checked into Hotel Galaxy at Santacruz, Mumbai, at about 5 pm of Thursday, and parked the bike there. Here, he produced a copy of his original licence.
Police who tracked his phone reached the hotel, knocked on room number 118. Kiran who was checking his phone, opened the door, and was caught by police. He has been brought to the city along with the bike.
“Kiran was doing drugs, and was under influence when he executed the heist. He has been taking anti-depressant pills and was under treatment for depression since August,” said a police official.
The accused did his M.Tech in Petro Chemical engineering from Indian Institute of Technology-Madras in 2010,and secured a job as an assistant executive engineer at ONGC Mumbai in the year 2012.
His father, T Raja Vijaya, an ex-service man, served as a Subedar. Kiran got married eight months ago, and the family stays at Safilguda. He pursued schooling from Military School, Trimulgherry, and B Tech from Vasavi Engineering College, Hyderabad.
As his was offshore work, he used to work for 15 days a month and the rest of the days was free. Cases under IPC Section 420 (Cheating), and 379 (Punishment for theft) were registered against the accused. The bike would be handed over to the showroom.