Bhopal police bust vehicle lease fraud racket; 30 cars recovered, more cases probed

Organised Car Fraud Racket Exposed In Vehicle Lease Scam

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): A growing number of vehicle fraud cases have exposed an organised racket in which cars taken on lease or rent from owners are allegedly sold or mortgaged using forged documents.In one such case, Raghav Upadhyay, a resident of MP Nagar, agreed with a second-hand car dealer and paid an advance of Rs 5 lakh for an SUV. However, the dealer, identified as Farhan Anees, neither delivered the vehicle nor returned the money. The fraud came to light when the SUV's original owner informed Upadhyay that the vehicle had only been leased out and was never meant to be sold. Following the revelation, Upadhyay lodged a complaint at MP Nagar police station.The case comes close on the heels of a breakthrough by Arera Hills police, who recently arrested an accused, Shailendra Joshi, and recovered around 35 vehicles. Investigators alleged that Joshi had obtained the cars on lease or rent from their owners and subsequently mortgaged or sold them using forged documents.A similar incident was reported in Awadhpuri, where a vehicle belonging to Sadhna Gupta was allegedly rented by a dealer, Deepanshu Das, and later sold without the owner's knowledge. More than 12 such cases have been registered across different police stations since January this year, indicating that the crime has evolved into a well-organised racket. Investigations suggest that multiple rackets may be operating in the city.In several cases, victims alleged that despite filing complaints, little action was taken. In the Arera Hills case, for instance, the accused allegedly sold or mortgaged nearly 35 vehicles while victims approached different police stations seeking help. The racket was eventually busted after Arera Hills police registered a case based on a complaint by victim Gaurav Kushwaha and conducted a detailed investigation.How they operatePolice officials said preliminary investigations revealed that the gangs primarily targeted owners of new and high-end vehicles. The accused allegedly lure vehicle owners by offering unusually high monthly rental payments, often exceeding Rs 25,000.To attract victims, the operators use pamphlets, posters, direct marketing and social media campaigns. Many of them reportedly establish professional-looking offices to gain credibility, although most function without proper registration or licences. Authorities said the fraudsters then target buyers in remote and rural areas through agents and social media networks to avoid detection. Claiming urgent financial needs, they allegedly sell luxury vehicles at throwaway prices or mortgage them using forged documents and agreements. Police officials said investigations into all such cases are underway and efforts are being made to identify other members of the network involved in the fraud.Bhopal Municipal Corporation Sets Up 24x7 Flood Control Room, Deploys 186 Nodal Officers

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Multi-Crore Car Fraud Racket Busted And 30 Vehicles Worth Crores Found

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): In a breakthrough, Arera Hills Police on Monday uncovered a large-scale vehicle fraud racket and recovered 30 cars worth more than Rs 3.5 crore. The vehicles, including several luxury cars, were traced from Shyampur in Sehore district and nearby rural areas.Police arrested the main accused, Shailesh Joshi, a resident of Ayodhya Bypass, who allegedly obtained vehicles from owners and agents on rent before fraudulently selling or mortgaging them using forged documents and fake agreements. The scam came to light after Gaurav Kushwaha, a resident of Vidisha, lodged a complaint stating that he had rented out his car to Joshi for Rs 25,000 per month. According to the complaint, the accused stopped making payments and later sold the vehicle to a third party after taking an advance of Rs 75,000. The vehicle's GPS was also found to have been disabled.An FIR has been registered under Section 316(2) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (criminal breach of trust). Police have recovered 30 vehicles so far, while efforts are underway to trace the remaining cars and identify other members of the network.Arera Hills Police Station incharge Sunil Sharma said that preliminary interrogation revealed that nearly 35 vehicles were sold off through forged paperwork and fake agreements. Police suspect the involvement of additional accused.Modus operandiDuring the investigation, police discovered that Joshi had allegedly carried out similar frauds involving around 35 vehicles. He would rent cars from agents and owners, prepare forged documents and agreements, and then either mortgage or sell the vehicles in remote rural areas at throwaway prices. Police said many buyers failed to verify ownership documents properly, attracted by the opportunity to purchase expensive vehicles at unusually low rates.Other police station cops showed negligenceVictims have alleged that they had approached several police stations in Bhopal regarding the missing vehicles, but their complaints were not taken seriously. The major fraud was exposed only after Arera Hills Police registered an FIR and launched a detailed investigation.Similar cases at other police stationsMP Nagar and Awadhpuri police are also investigating two similar vehicle fraud cases involving rented cars being illegally sold. In MP Nagar, car dealers allegedly collected Rs 5 lakh from a buyer after showing and executing a fake sale agreement for a leased SUV, without the owner's knowledge. In a similar case at Awadhpuri police station, accused Deepanshu Das allegedly rented a car belonging to Sadhna Gupta and sold it to another person. Police are probing both cases and searching for the accused.Student Robbed At Knifepoint In Smart City Park; 2 Held In Bhopal

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