State of Karnataka Vs Neeraj Kumar Sharma (Karnataka High Court)
The Karnataka High Court decided an intra-court appeal filed by the State and Transport Authorities against the order of the learned Single Judge dated 24.03.2026 in Writ Petition No.36250/2025 (MV).
The respondent had challenged the Investigation Report dated 15.06.2025 issued by the Regional Transport Officer, Mysore West and the Senior Inspector of Motor Vehicles, sought release of the vehicle bearing registration No. KA20MH0888, and sought consequential reliefs. During the pendency of the writ petition, the Transport Authorities cancelled the vehicle’s registration by order dated 16.01.2026. The learned Single Judge quashed the investigation report, directed release of the vehicle, and also set aside the registration cancellation order while directing restoration of registration.
The case concerned a Mercedes-Benz AMG G63 originally purchased by Nihal Ahmed with financial assistance from HDFC Bank. According to the State, the vehicle was subsequently transferred through various persons and was registered in Himachal Pradesh using fabricated documents by altering the chassis number. That registration was later cancelled as having been obtained through fake documents. Nihal Ahmed also lodged a criminal complaint alleging cheating after the persons to whom he had handed over the vehicle failed to honour payment commitments. Separately, the Delhi Police investigated fraudulent registrations of high-end vehicles, during which the vehicle was recovered while allegedly bearing another fabricated registration number. HDFC Bank obtained custody of the vehicle after proceedings before the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, Dwarka Courts, New Delhi, and subsequently issued no-objection certificates after settlement of the loan account. The respondent thereafter secured temporary registration and eventually registration in Karnataka.
