Bengaluru: An unattended SUV (Toyota Fortuner) with a fake number plate was found parked near deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar’s residence in Sadashivanagar recently, sending security and police personnel into a tizzy.During investigation, police found that the SUV was registered in the name of a former MLA from Magadi constituency. An FIR was registered and the vehicle seized on Sept 7, but as of Friday evening, no one had appeared to claim it.As per the complaint filed by traffic constable Manu M, he was deployed for duty near the DCM’s residence to manage traffic. He noticed a Fortuner parked at the corner of 18th Cross, 7th A Main, around 10.30am, causing traffic trouble. Manu tried in vain to find the owner or driver of the SUV. Checking its registration number (KA-51-MW-6814), Manu used the department’s database and found that the owner was one Deepak H. Manu contacted him on the phone number mentioned in the RC and told him of the SUV was parked at the corner of the road, causing trouble to other motorists. Deepak replied that his car was in the parking lot of his house and the vehicle parked near the DCM’s house wasn’t his.Manu then realised someone was using a fake registration number on the SUV. When he checked the number plate again, he found another plate — KA-42-P-6606 — below the fake one. The registered owner’s address was mentioned as Annapoorneshwari Nilaya, Basaveshwara Layout, Bidadi town, Ramanagara, but the mobile number was not available with the department.Manu subsequently informed his seniors and, on their instructions, lodged a complaint with the jurisdictional police. A senior officer said the vehicle was found to belong to a former MLA, who gave it to one of his aides, who has now joined the Congress. The aide may be using the fake registration to conceal his identity as a former JD(S) functionary, the officer added.A case has been registered under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita Sections 318 (cheating), 338 (forgery of valuable security, will, etc.), and 340 (forged document or electronic record and using it as genuine).
