Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (JD)

Udupi, Nov 21: Following a report published in a daily newspaper regarding the alleged illegal registration of a luxury Mercedes-Benz car imported from abroad—causing an estimated loss of around Rs 1 crore in road tax to the government—the Udupi Lokayukta police collected relevant information and obtained necessary documents based on the report.

During the inquiry, it was found that officials and staff of the Udupi RTO office misused their powers by editing the model details of the car. A Mercedes-Benz worth approximately Rs 2 crore was registered in February 2025 as a 2017 model by altering its details using the model of another lower-priced vehicle from the same company, thereby causing a loss of several lakhs of rupees in tax revenue to the government.

Based on these findings, the Lokayukta police submitted a report to the competent authority seeking permission to initiate action. After receiving approval and conducting a preliminary inquiry, the allegations against officers and staff of the Udupi and Mangaluru RTO offices were confirmed.

Following approval from higher authorities, a case was registered on November 17 under charges of misuse of power and falsification of documents. The Udupi Lokayukta police have now officially registered the case and initiated an investigation, according to a press release from the Udupi Lokayukta Police Office.