Indore Police Crack Down on Sophisticated Luxury Car Rental Scam
In a significant breakthrough, Annapurna police in Indore have arrested a notorious fraudster and recovered 24 luxury vehicles valued at over Rs 3 crore from his possession. The arrest, made on Saturday, has exposed a sophisticated rental car scam that defrauded dozens of unsuspecting vehicle owners across the region.
How the Elaborate Fraud Operation Unfolded
The investigation was triggered following a formal complaint filed by Romendra Singh Bhadoria, who reported that Sanjay Karira had rented his Maruti Swift for a monthly fee of Rs 24,000 under an 11-month contract. However, the payments ceased abruptly after just two months. Bhadoria later made the shocking discovery that his vehicle had been illegally mortgaged to a third party without his knowledge or consent.
Following the registration of the First Information Report (FIR), approximately 40 additional victims approached the police with strikingly similar complaints, revealing the extensive nature of the fraudulent operation.
The Accused's Deceptive Modus Operandi
Senior police officials revealed that the accused, a resident of Sudama Nagar with a documented history of fraud across multiple police jurisdictions including Juni Indore and Ujjain, employed a carefully calculated deceptive strategy. His modus operandi involved several systematic steps:
- Luring vehicle owners with promises of exceptionally high rental payments
- Signing formal rental agreements to establish legitimacy
- Immediately removing GPS trackers from the vehicles after taking possession
- Mortgaging or re-renting the cars to third parties for substantial lump sum payments
- Using intimidation tactics to silence complaining owners
To maintain control over the situation and prevent victims from reporting the fraud, Karira employed manipulative tactics. He would occasionally offer small token payments after several months of default or threaten to implicate vehicle owners in legal troubles by falsely claiming their vehicles had been used in illegal activities.
Recovery of High-Value Luxury Vehicles
The seized fleet represents a collection of premium automotive models, including:
- Audi luxury sedans
- Innova Crysta multi-utility vehicles
- Mahindra Thar off-road vehicles
- Scorpio N SUVs
While police have successfully recovered 24 vehicles so far, investigators estimate that at least 16 more vehicles connected to this scam remain missing. The search for these remaining assets continues as authorities work to dismantle the entire fraudulent network.
Ongoing Investigation and Legal Proceedings
Sanjay Karira will remain in police remand until January 29 as the investigation progresses. Law enforcement officials are intensifying their efforts to trace and recover all remaining stolen vehicles while building a comprehensive case against the accused and any potential accomplices.
This case highlights the importance of thorough verification in vehicle rental agreements and serves as a cautionary tale for vehicle owners considering rental arrangements with unfamiliar parties. The police have urged other potential victims to come forward as they continue to unravel the full extent of this sophisticated fraud operation.
