Lucknow: Auto-lifting kingpin held, was using stolen SUV

LUCKNOW: With the arrest of the prime accused in Badshahnagar auto-lifting case from a car resale showroom on Saturday, all eight stolen vehicles have been recovered.


One person was also arrested for buying a stolen SUV from the accused.

On November 5, eight vehicles including six automatic expensive four-wheelers were stolen in the small hours in Badshahnagar, 700 metres from Mahanagar police station.

Of the stolen vehicles, a BMW, an Audi, a Ford Endeavour and a Hyundai i20 were recovered on November 6 from the campus of KGMU. Two models of Toyota Innova Crysta and a Hyundai i20 were recovered from the parking of Era's Lucknow Medical College and Hospital on November 8.

The last, a Toyota Fortuner, was recovered from prime accused Ranjeet Kumar when he was arrested near Shaheed Park in Kakori on Saturday. He was using it with a forged registration.

Additionally, a stolen Mahindra Scorpio, a Honda City and a Royal Enfield were also recovered from him.

A native of Shravasti, Ranjeet lived on rent in Kakori. He told police he was part of a gang that steals expensive vehicles and sells them in other states and in Nepal. Along with his aide Mohammad Saif, he had done a recce of the showroom five times in a month and met the salesman too. They had scaled the wall of the facility and broken its locks. Taking the keys from a cupboard, they drove away with the pre-decided vehicles.

ASP trans-Gomti Rajesh Kumar Srivastava said, "We are tracing other vehicles stolen by the accused. Another accused, Girija Mishra, is absconding."