The Regional Transport Office (RTO) in Bengaluru seized 30 luxury sports cars, including high-end brands such as Ferrari, Porsche, Maserati, Range Rover, and BMW, found to be operating illegally in Karnataka without paying the required road tax, an official said on Tuesday, adding that according to an estimate tax dues from these vehicles, registered in other states, amount to ₹3 crore.
The raid, carried out on Monday, involved a dedicated team of 41 officers led by transport department deputy commissioner C Mallikarjun. He said that the seized vehicles were registered in Delhi, Puducherry, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, and Jharkhand but were operating in Karnataka without compliance with local tax regulations.
“We have issued notices to the owners, and they will have to pay the pending tax dues to reclaim their vehicles,” Mallikarjun told HT. He urged vehicle owners to ensure their tax payments are up to date to avoid similar enforcement actions in the future.
I a separate case, Bengaluru police arrested Panchakshara Swami (38), resident of Maharashtra’s Solapur district, over his alleged involvement in a house burglary in Madivala. Police said that the accused has a history of high-profile thefts and scams and was arrested multiple times in the past.
“Swami’s criminal activities date back to 2003, though he gained notoriety as a professional con artist in 2009. He has been involved in major house burglaries in Mumbai and Pune. Gujarat police arrested him in 2016, and he spent six years in Sabarmati Jail. After his release, he resumed his fraudulent activities until he was arrested again for a scam in Maharashtra. In 2024, he was released and continued his operations,” Madivala police inspector Lakshman Raj said.
{{/usCountry}}“Swami’s criminal activities date back to 2003, though he gained notoriety as a professional con artist in 2009. He has been involved in major house burglaries in Mumbai and Pune. Gujarat police arrested him in 2016, and he spent six years in Sabarmati Jail. After his release, he resumed his fraudulent activities until he was arrested again for a scam in Maharashtra. In 2024, he was released and continued his operations,” Madivala police inspector Lakshman Raj said.
{{/usCountry}}He further said that police recovered a firearm and a metal mold used for melting stolen gold ornaments from Swami’s residence. “Investigators also found several fake IDs and documents.”
“Swami had even trained in martial arts and possessed a black belt in karate, which he allegedly used to deceive and distract his victims. Swami is currently in judicial custody and faces nearly 180 cases related to cheating and housebreaking,” he alleged.