Delhi cops bust fake auto parts racket

Despite ensuring that your vehicles are serviced at authorised dealers, there's still some bad news. Delhi police officials have uncovered a racket where fake oil filters, air filters, and diesel filters have been fitted onto cars belonging to companies such as Bosch, Mahindra, and Maruti. They have also arrested one man involved in its supply.

Senior officers said that involvement of officials working in these top brands has not been ruled out yet.

The arrested accused has been identified as Hardeep Singh, owner of the warehouse where these items worth over Rs 10 lakh were stashed. Police have recovered 506 counterfeit air filters, 12,511 outer boxes of Mahindra & Mahindra, 2,401 fake air filter parts of Maruti, 33 diesel filters, and many other automobile parts.

The counterfeit products of these brands were recovered from Bhola Nath Nagar in Shahadra, following a raid on Friday.

The forgery came to light when the police were informed by these companies that their fake products are being circulated in the market. "A few days ago, we received a complaint from EIPR (India) Ltd, authorised to conduct surveys, investigate and file complaints on behalf of Bosch, Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd and Maruti Suzuki Ltd. They alleged that during a market survey, they found that distribution, sale and production of counterfeit automobile parts to consumers," said Nupur Prasad, DCP, Shahadra.

Acting on the complaint, police officers conducted a probe which led them to a warehouse in Shahadra. Auto parts to be used on cars belonging to these car companies were found stashed in the warehouse.

During the raid, police interrogated the owner of the premises, Hardeep Singh. "We asked him to provide documents related to the materials stored inside his warehouse, which he failed to do," said a senior police officer.

"On checking the stored material, officials from EIPR (India) Ltd, who were accompanying the police team, confirmed that the material stored at the above warehouse was counterfeit. The total value of these items is estimated to be over Rs 10 lakh," Prasad said.

What the Cops Found

1,750 automobile parts — Mahindra & Mahindra
3,500 automobile parts — Maruti Suzuki 33 diesel filters
185 Outer Boxes with Bosch logo
Brand stickers
A printer and a computer