Bengaluru police have arrested two men, including a computer operator from Andhra Pradesh, for allegedly stealing motorbikes and selling them using forged registration certificates (RC cards). The accused were identified as Chittappa Gary Anand, 33, a resident of Laggaere, and his associate Sheik Shafir Basha, 27, from Nandyal in Andhra Pradesh. Police seized 51 two-wheelers worth over Rs 41 lakh from their possession.
Details of the Arrest
According to investigating officers, Chittappa has a criminal record with 10 previous cases of vehicle theft, while Basha has one case against him. The stolen vehicles were taken from various locations in Bengaluru, Davanagere, as well as from Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh.
Modus Operandi
DCP (Electronic City Division) M Narayana explained that Chittappa would target two-wheelers, mostly motorbikes, parked in isolated areas or steal them at night. After riding the stolen bike for a short distance, he would load it onto a pre-arranged goods truck. The truck would then stop at the Karnataka-Andhra Pradesh border, where Chittappa would hand over the bike to Basha. Basha would quickly replace the license plate with a fake one.
Police also revealed that Basha was involved in stealing personal details of motorbike owners from Regional Transport Offices (RTOs) in Andhra Pradesh. He would collect names, addresses, and registration numbers of vehicles registered in Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar, and Puducherry. Using this data, he manufactured fake plastic RC cards with counterfeit chips.
Sale via Social Media
Basha would advertise the stolen bikes on social media platforms and sell them using the forged documents. This led to a situation where two motorbikes bearing the same license plate were found operating on roads simultaneously. DCP Narayana emphasized that such activities pose a serious threat to national security.
Police are now investigating the extent of the operation and plan to visit RTOs in Andhra Pradesh to trace other potential victims. The accused have been booked under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Motor Vehicles Act.
