Mumbai: BMW firm officials booked for towing customer's car containing valuables

Mandavia's BMW X5 that was towed away illegally by officials from the financial services firm

Months after a theft complaint was registered at the Santacruz police station against officials of BMW India Financial Services Pvt Ltd for towing away a customer's vehicle containing expensive watches and cash without intimating him, the police have recorded the statement of an accused in the case.

Complainant Siddharth Mandavia

This theft complaint has been added in an existing case Mandavia is embroiled in with the financial services firm since 2016, for maladjustment of the EMI amount he was paying for one of the cars he had bought from them. The statement of accused Milan Murundkar, an employee of the accused firm, was recorded on January 30. Shantanu Pawar, senior inspector, Santacruz police station confirmed the development and said they have summoned the other accused.

The towing incident occurred on November 20, 2017. Four days ago, on November 16, the complainant, businessman Siddharth Mandavia had left his BMW M5 with his friend Uzair Ansari as he was going out of town. The luxury car had two Rolex watches and Rs 8.30 lakh in cash and Mandavia and asked him to keep them safely. He was going to return to Mumbai on November 23 and take the car back.

Before Ansari could take the valuables in his safe custody, people from BMW India Financial Services came to his home around 10.30 pm and towed the car away - which contained the valuables - without taking the keys. On November 29, 2017, Mandavia gave a written complaint to Santacruz police station about the theft of the car, cash and two Rolex watches. Ansari has also filed an affidavit in court alleging the car was taken illegally with the valuables.

Mandavia alleged the car was towed without any court order or advance notice to him or to the police and is a completely illegal act. He further alleged that the company told him they did not find any cash or valuables inside the car. He said if they'd towed it away without the keys, how did they open it and checked his cash and belongings? mid-day has the inventory copy which says that the car was towed without its keys.

In November 2009, L Manohar, a salesman at the prestigious Concorde Car showroom on Hosur Road, Bangalore cheated six customers of lakhs of rupees. Manohar had also been cheating his employers by booking cars on the company name and selling them at a premium without the knowledge of his seniors.

Catch up on all the latest Mumbai news, crime news, current affairs, and also a complete guide on Mumbai from food to things to do and events across the city here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates