Police have arrested two men and seized 12 minibuses in a vehicle registration fraud case involving fake and duplicate number plates allegedly used to evade road tax and other government dues. The racket came to light during routine patrol when officers noticed two minibuses running with the same registration number.
Duplicate Number Plate Raises Suspicion
The accused have been identified as Syed Nazir, 40, a resident of Subhashnagar in Electronics City, and Nagaraj, 52, a resident of Anekal who is originally from Tamil Nadu.
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The case surfaced on June 23 when a head constable spotted a Swaraj Mazda minibus bearing registration number KA-51-B-5959 on Manipal County Road. Minutes later, another minibus passed through the same stretch displaying the identical number.
Police followed both vehicles and intercepted them near Begur Lake Road. During questioning, Nazir allegedly admitted that both minibuses belonged to him and that he had been using the same registration number on multiple vehicles to avoid paying road tax and other mandatory charges.
Old Vehicles Repaired and Put Back on Road
Investigators said Nazir, who works as a heavy vehicle mechanic, allegedly repaired, repainted and modified old or scrap vehicles before putting them back into operation. Police said the minibuses were primarily used for transporting garment factory workers.
According to officials, fake registration numbers were used to operate several vehicles while evading statutory payments. These included road tax, passenger vehicle tax and fitness certificate charges.
Further investigation allegedly revealed the role of Nagaraj, who is said to have supplied registration details of genuine vehicles matching Nazir’s minibuses. Police said he charged a commission for providing the details and helping facilitate forged documentation.
Wider Network Under Investigation
Based on Nazir’s confession and subsequent investigation, Nagaraj was also arrested. Both accused have been remanded to judicial custody.
Police have so far seized 12 minibuses, including vehicles of Swaraj Mazda, Mahindra and Eicher brands. Authorities are now examining how the duplicate number plates and documents were prepared and used.
Investigators suspect the racket may be part of a larger network involving multiple individuals and possible misuse of transport registration data. Further investigation is underway to identify others involved in the fraud.
