The Thane police, which is probing the scam where employees of nine Mira Road call centres defrauded US nationals to the tune of $300 million, on Friday seized a swanky luxury car, Audi R8, belonging to the alleged mastermind Sagar Thakkar alias ‘Shaggy’. The Thane police claimed that Thakkar had bought the car via a Delhi-based automobile dealer from Indian cricket team’s captain Virat Kohli.
The police said that the purchase transaction of the car has remained incomplete since Thakkar had allegedly refused to provide his permanent account number (PAN) card details. According to the police, Thakkar bought the car in May this year for Rs 70 lakh, out of which he had paid Rs 50 lakh. The police has called the dealer in for questioning and may record his statement by Sunday.
The police clarified that Kohli is not under its scanner because of the transaction.
The Thane police’s commissioner of police Param Bir Singh said, “The vehicle was recovered at the bungalow of his friend from Rohtak, Haryana. Following the raids in Mira Road Thakkar sent the vehicle to Haryana and hid it there before going underground.” He said, “We have got the documents of the car and it was confirmed that it was purchased from cricketer Virat Kohli in May this year.”
Mr Singh said, “Kohli has no role in the case. Thakkar got it from a second-hand car dealer in New Delhi. The deal was finalised at Rs 70 lakh of which Rs 50 lakh has been paid. Rs 10 lakh was transferred via NEFT.”
“While the transfer form contains Kohli’s signature, the signature meant for the purchaser stayed blank. When we enquired with the car dealer, he said it was on account of Thakkar’s refusal to provide his pan card details,” said a senior official.
Police suspect that Sagar purposefully did it in order to avoid the attention of income tax officials. The Thane police said the market price of the vehicle is about '3 core. Kohli might have decided to sell it of at a throwaway price of Rs 70 lakh as the car had some issue.
The police will examine if the car was bought from the proceeds of the crime. Sources said Thakkar had gifted this car to his girlfriend on her birthday on June.
