He borrowed cars, then sold them

Sources said that Bashir Ahmed Sheikh 38 had inserted advertisements in several newspapers for people who were interested in making use of their vehicles for some monetary income. It said such people should contact Sheikh who would give them a return of Rs 17,800 every month. He had set up Accord Tours and Travels8217; at Dhobi Talao and was in this line of business for several years, police said.

Many people approached Sheikh, on the basis of the advertisement, with their vehicles and some even purchased new ones so that they could earn regular income, said Nagnath Askulkar.

For a few months Sheikh paid the vehicle-owners, but started dodging them in the last couple of months and several of his cheques also bounced, Askulkar said. He added that when some of the vehicle-owners wanted Sheikh to return their vehicles, they got them back with many important parts missing, he said.

Investigations revealed that Sheikh had been using the vehicles for carrying illicit liquor to the states of Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh, and had been impounded at some place, Askulkar said. He also gave some cars to private companies to be used as tourist vehicles, and managed to sell a few to them, he said.

Askulkar said police is now trying to recover the vehicles so that they can be returned to the owners, but very few have come forward so far. He said it is important that all persons who had given their cars to Sheikh should lodge a complaint so that inquiries can be made.