Inter-state auto theft racket busted, 10 land in police net
31 high-end vehicles recovered from them
The Crime Branch of the Delhi Police has busted a well-organised inter-state auto-lifting syndicate involved in stealing vehicles, tampering chassis numbers and fraudulently re-registering them using forged documents, officials said on Saturday.
As many as 10 members of the racket have been arrested and 31 high-end stolen vehicles have been recovered so far.
According to the police, the syndicate had allegedly facilitated the theft and illegal sale of over 1,000 vehicles across multiple states, causing significant financial losses to unsuspecting buyers and financial institutions.
The accused have been identified as Damandeep Singh, alias Lucky (kingpin), Arvind Sharma, Amandeep, Subhash Chand, Manbir Singh, alias Minta, Kanwaljeet, alias Jolly, Brij Mohan Kapoor, alias Bobby, Pardeep Singh, alias Heera, Tifle Naukhej and Hemraj Singh, alias Hema.
The case stemmed from an e-FIR registered in August 2025 at the Maurya Enclave police station regarding the theft of a Hyundai Creta from Pitampura. The case was later transferred to the Inter-State Cell of the Crime Branch, which uncovered a larger network operating across Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Himachal Pradesh.
The police said the syndicate functioned through a structured chain, beginning with auto-lifters and suppliers who procured stolen or loan-defaulted vehicles. These vehicles were then passed on to technical experts who tampered with chassis numbers and replaced original identities. Fake documents, including forged registration papers and bank no-objection certificates (NOCs), were prepared to legitimise the vehicles.
Investigators also found the alleged involvement of insiders, including a Registering and Licensing Authority (RLA) official, who misused access to the VAHAN portal and processed forged registrations using unauthorised credentials.
The kingpin, identified as Damandeep Singh, alias Lucky, is accused of orchestrating the entire operation, including procurement, tampering, documentation, registration and sale of vehicles. Other accused played roles ranging from sourcing vehicles and forging documents to arranging buyers and interstate transportation.
Among the recovered vehicles are 11 Toyota Fortuner, three Innova, six Kia Seltos, six Hyundai Creta, one Hyundai venue, one Mahindra Thar, two Mahindra Scorpio and one Swift Dzire. Tools used for tampering with chassis numbers were also seized.
The police said efforts were underway to apprehend other members of the syndicate and trace additional stolen vehicles. Further investigation is in progress.
