Case Registered for Misuse of Power in Luxury Car Registration Scam
Udupi: The Udupi Lokayukta Police have formally registered a case against officials and staff members of regional transport offices (RTOs) on allegations of misuse of authority and causing significant financial losses to the government. The case pertains to the illicit registration of an imported luxury Mercedes-Benz vehicle, wherein officials are suspected of manipulating records to evade substantial road taxes.
The investigation was initiated following a media report exposing the fraudulent registration of a high-value Mercedes-Benz, imported from overseas and valued at approximately Rs 2 crore. According to the report, the vehicle’s model details were deliberately altered during the registration process to falsely represent it as a lower-priced variant of the same manufacturer. This manipulation purportedly occurred in February 2025, despite the car being a 2017 model, resulting in an estimated evasion of road tax amounting to nearly Rs 1 crore. This evasion has caused a considerable financial deficit to the state exchequer.
Upon reviewing the media report, the Udupi Lokayukta Police gathered pertinent information and relevant documentation. The subsequent verification process revealed evidence suggesting that officials and staff stationed at the Udupi RTO office allegedly exploited their official positions to tamper with official records, thereby facilitating the illegal registration of the vehicle.
Following the submission of a detailed report to the competent authority and the attainment of requisite permissions, a preliminary inquiry was conducted. The findings of this inquiry indicated that the allegations levelled against officials and staff of both the Udupi and Mangaluru RTO offices held prima facie validity.
With the endorsement of higher authorities, a formal case was officially registered on November 17. The charges filed are related to the abuse of official authority and the unlawful tampering of official records. The Udupi Lokayukta Police have officially commenced further investigations into the matter, as stated in a press release issued by the department. The investigation aims to identify all individuals involved and to ascertain the full extent of the financial irregularities.