At least three instances of attempts to dupe automobile dealers by booking two-wheelers by paying some advance, later cancelling them and altering the cheques taken, in return of advance, have come to light in the city.
In a complaint to Mangaluru South Police on July 3, director of Pai Sales Private Ltd. T. Ganapathi Pai said that Abdul Ali, a resident of Mallappa Layout off Doddaballapur Road, Bengaluru, visited their showroom on June 12 and booked a two-wheeler by paying ₹1,000 as advance. Two days later, Ali returned to the showroom and cancelled the booking.
The dealer then issued a cheque of State Bank of India, Mallikatta Branch, for ₹1,000 in the name of Ali in return of advance.
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Mr. Pai said on July 3 he received a SMS alert from the bank that “Cheque No. 529169 issued in favour of Abdul Ali for ₹2,70,000 received for clearance. Will be paid if found in order, contact your branch before 12.30 pm today if not issued by you.”
The dealer asked the bank to stop payment as Ali had been issued the cheque only for ₹1,000. Later it was found that the cheque had been altered.
Mr. Pai said the staff of the dealer visited a Bank of Baroda branch in the city where the cheque had been presented and found it to be doctored one.
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He requested the police to investigate into the fraud.
Two more cases
Following the complaint, two more automobile dealers have reported of similar instances.
A representative of a two-wheeler showroom in Valencia told The Hindu that the same customer (Ali) altered the amount mentioned in the cheque from ₹1,000 to ₹4.5 lakh by booking a vehicle and later cancelling it there.
Fortunately, the bank, where the cheque was presented on June 29, noticed the fraud and intimated the dealer, who stopped payment of the cheque, the showroom representative said.
Ganapathi Pai’s brother Rathnakar Pai said another two-wheeler dealer on Thursday reported of altering of cheque from ₹1,000 to ₹2.1 lakh by another customer.