The accused allegedly pawned the cars for large sums of money without informing the owners, the police said
The suspect in police custody. Pic/Navneet Bharate
The Ambernath Police in Maharashtra arrested an accused who was allegedly involved in renting vehicles and then selling them without the consent of the owners, the police said on Tuesday.
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The incident came to light after a complaint was filed by one Faizal Khan against the suspect who was identified as Ali Shaikh, the police said.
Shaikh was later arrested by the police and several vehicles have been recovered.
According to the police, the accused allegedly first gained the trust of vehicle owners by presenting himself as reliable. After renting vehicles multiple times without issues, he fabricated personal emergencies, such as claiming his son was unwell, to secure vehicles on rent. Instead of returning them, Shaikh allegedly pawned the cars for large sums of money without informing the owners.
The police investigation revealed that Shaikh had executed this scheme with seven to eight vehicles, some of which were even sold, the police said.
Senior Police Inspector Balaji Pandhare of the Ambernath Police said that additional offenses linked to the accused might surface during the ongoing investigation.
The police action has led to the recovery of several cars, said an official.
Sources said that one of his friends, who was also allegedly involved in the matter is being traced.
Further investigations in the matter are underway.