Bollywood Superstar Cars Fined for Road Tax Violation in Bengaluru
In a peculiar case in Bengaluru, two high-end cars bearing the names of Bollywood superstars faced hefty fines for failing to pay road tax.
These cars, two Rolls-Royces registered in the names of Amitabh Bachchan and Aamir Khan, were fined over 18 lakh and 19 lakh rupees, respectively, by the authorities in Karnataka’s capital.
Ownership Details
Interestingly, neither Bachchan nor Khan currently own these luxury vehicles. The actual owner is a local businessman-politician named Yusuf Sharif, known as ‘KGF Babu.’ He acquired the cars from the Bollywood celebrities a few years back but never completed the ownership transfer.
Yusuf Sharif, a native of Kolar Gold Fields, Karnataka, where the blockbuster movie series ‘KGF’ was set, frequently used the Rolls-Royce Phantom (originally owned by Bachchan) and the Rolls-Royce Ghost (previously owned by Khan).
Violation and Fines
Although the exact purchase dates remain undisclosed, the Regional Transport Office (RTO) confirmed that the cars have been in Bengaluru since 2021 and 2023, respectively. The fines imposed, Rs 18.53 lakh on Phantom and Rs 19.73 lakh on Ghost, were due to non-payment of local road taxes during their extended use in Karnataka.
RTO officials noted that the Phantom had been warned in 2021 but escaped penalties as it hadn’t completed a year in Bengaluru. However, both cars were found to exceed the one-year limit, leading to the substantial fines.
Legal Status
Despite their usage, the ownership details on paper remain unchanged, as confirmed by RTO officials.
Yusuf Sharif, a candidate in the 2021 Karnataka Legislative Council polls from Bangalore Urban, declared assets exceeding Rs 1,744 crore four years ago, transitioning from scrap trading to real estate ventures.
The case highlights the importance of adhering to legal requirements in vehicle ownership and road tax payments.
