Mira-Bhayandar: The crime branch unit (zone I) attached to the Mira Bhayandar-Vasai Virar (MBVV) police arrested a 37-year-old man for his alleged involvement in selling cars taken on rent. According to the police the accused who has been identified as Vishal Vilas Chalke (37) a resident of Goregaon was into the business of buying and selling used cars.
He would also take cars on hire by promising hefty monthly rents to people for using their vehicles on a contract basis and then go on to sell the four-wheelers to a third party.
Accused Vikas Chalke sold unauthorised cars
Chalke had recently sold a Maruti Ertiga car to a resident of Mira Road for ₹4 lakh by signing a sale deed on blank papers with an assurance of handing over the documents soon. However, the buyer was shocked to learn that the car belonged to some other person, following which he registered a complaint at the Mira Road police station.
While conducting parallel investigations into the case, the crime branch unit headed by police inspector Aviraj Kurhade and API Prashant Gangurde got a tip-off that Chalke was holed up in the Dhaniv Baug area of Vasai. The team arrested Chalke who turned out to be a notorious con man said to be involved in dozens of cases using a similar modus operandi.
Sold cars at throwaway prices
“Apart from selling cars which he took on hire, the accused would unhesitatingly sell those vehicles which came to him for sale to potential buyers without informing the actual owners,” said Kurhade. Investigations revealed that Chalke was involved in more than 25 similar frauds committed by him in Mira Road, Virar, Thane, Mumbai and Navi Mumbai.
He sold most of the cars at throwaway prices to unsuspecting buyers in Pune, Aurangabad, Nanded and parts of Maharashtra. The police recovered six cars worth ₹42.50 lakh from the possession of the accused who has been booked under section 420 of the IPC. The case has been handed over to the Mira Road police station for further investigations.
