Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru
Mangaluru, Sep 23: The city crime branch (CCB) police on Saturday September 23 busted a fake vehicle registration racket and arrested three persons for cheating not only the authorities concerned, but also financial institutions from whom they obtained loans through devious means.
The accused were involved in creating fake registration documents of heavy vehicles and procuring loans on the basis of the documents from financial firms. They would even use fake registation number plates on vehicles.
On receivig credible information about a bus plying on Mangaluru-Moodushedde route number 3B carrying fake number plate of KA-19-B-4866, the CCB police intercepted the bus and inspected it. The police found that the chassis number of the bus was that of another bus and so also its registration number.
Naveen Noronha
After investigation, the police arrested Naveen Noronha (41), a resident of Ulaibettu, in this regard.
During interrogation, Naveen said that he bought the bus from another person and used the chassis and registration numbers of another bus owned by him for it.
Based on his statement, the police also arrested Vincent Sequeira (59) of Bendore, owner of National Engineering Works, Pumpwell, where the fake chassis and registration numbers were fixed on the bus. The third person arrested is Wilfred Mascarenhas of Neermarga.
Also, based on Naveen Noronha's confession, the police seized two trucks and a JCB with fake numbers, along with instruments used to create fake chassis numbers. The total value of the seized vehicles and items is estimate at Rs 81.09 lac.
One of the seized trucks was carrying Andhra Pradesh registration number AP-02-X-9098, while its original number of KA-19-AA-9271
The number on the seized JCB was found to have actually belonged to a Chevrolet Beat car.
Driven by the common intent of making money illegally and through ulterior means, the accused came together to form a syndicate, and drew up conspiracy together to steal the trucks and JCB. They then exchanged chassis numbers of bus and lorry, meddled with engine numbers by deforming them, after which they gave different registration numbers to them. They also created fake documents to project as if they were genuine, duly signed and stamped in the name of the department, thereby cheating both the department concerned and financial firms. Police are conducting further investigations into this organized racket.
The accused as well as the assets confiscated from them will be handed over to Kavoor police station for further action.
Acting under the directions of city police commissioner, T R Suresh, and guidance of deputy commissioner of police (law and order), Hanumantharaya, officers and staff of the city crime branch of the city have succeeded in detecting this fraud.