Rs 5.5 crore Bentley allegedly undervalued to evade road tax in Bengaluru

Bengaluru: Officials from the Regional Transport Office (RTO) in Bengaluru are probing a case involving a Bentley Flying Spur allegedly registered with falsified documents to reduce road tax liability.

The luxury car, reportedly valued at over Rs 5.5 crore, was allegedly declared at Rs 2.4 crore during registration, resulting in road tax payment of around Rs 52 lakh instead of the estimated Rs 1.3 crore, indicating a possible evasion of around Rs 78 lakh.

Officials from the Regional Transport Office inspected the vehicle at the owner’s residence in Koramangala and examined registration-related documents, including the tax invoice, insurance certificate, original registration certificate, temporary registration papers, and other supporting documentation. The Bentley was purchased in 2023 and initially obtained temporary registration in Delhi. The permanent registration was completed at Bantwal Assistant RTO in Dakshina Kannada district after a delay of more than a year, yet the car was reportedly being used regularly in Bengaluru.

Authorities found dealer-issued bona fide certificates inside the car during the inspection. The vehicle, which had a fancy registration number obtained through the RTO, did not have the mandatory high-security registration plates required for vehicles registered after April 1, 2019. An RTO official confirmed that credible inputs indicated forged documents were submitted to undervalue the car and evade taxes. A notice has been issued to the owner seeking an explanation, and further action will be determined after reviewing the response.

Under the Motor Vehicles Act, authorities have the power to cancel registrations obtained through forged documents and take appropriate legal action. The case has drawn attention due to the high value of the vehicle and the significant alleged road tax evasion.