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Indian Express
an hour ago
- Automotive
- Indian Express
Bengaluru businessman fined Rs 38 lakh for evading road tax for Rolls-Royce cars linked to Amitabh Bachchan, Aamir Khan
Karnataka transport officials Wednesday fined a Bengaluru businessman over Rs 38 lakh for driving a Rolls-Royce Phantom once owned by Bollywood actor Amitabh Bachchan and a Rolls-Royce Ghost previously belonging to Aamir Khan without paying the local road tax in the state. The luxury cars were found during an enforcement drive at the house of businessman-politician Yusuf Sharif, also known as KGF Babu. The operation was led by M Shobha, Joint Transport Commissioner, Regional Transport Officer (RTO), along with other officers. Officials found a Rolls-Royce Phantom bearing registration number MH02-BB-0002, registered in the name of actor Amitabh Bachchan, and a Rolls-Royce Ghost with registration number MH11-AX-0001, registered to Hardwyn India Inc, but reportedly originally belonging to actor Aamir Khan. According to RTO officials, both vehicles are now owned and regularly used by Sharif, who purchased them a few years ago from the Bollywood actors but failed to transfer ownership to his name. Transport department officials indicated that the Rolls-Royce Phantom has been in Bengaluru since 2021, and the Ghost since 2023. Officials added that Sharif was using the cars without paying the applicable state road tax in Karnataka. The transport department fined Rs 19.73 lakh for the Ghost, and Rs 18.53 lakh for the Phantom, both for long-term use of out-of-state vehicles in Karnataka without payment of local taxes — a violation under the Karnataka Motor Vehicles Taxation Act. However, officials did not seize the vehicles as the tax had been paid during the enforcement drive. Sharif made national headlines in 2021 when his Rolls-Royce car, worth Rs 2.01 crore (according to an affidavit) and which he bought second-hand from Amitabh Bachchan, was seized by RTO officials for road tax violation. The Income Tax department also conducted a search on his premises over tax evasion of Rs 13.43 crore. Sharif is a controversial figure with a rags-to-riches background. A native of Kolar Gold Fields (KGF), the mining town that inspired the blockbuster Kannada film series KGF, he earned the nickname 'KGF Babu'. From selling scrap in his early years, Sharif rose to become a real estate baron. Some detractors, however, claim Sharif has acquired his riches by stealing gold from KGF using muscle power. Sharuf has denied the allegations, and credits hard work for his wealth. In the 2021 Karnataka Legislative Council elections, he contested from the Bangalore Urban local authorities' constituency, declaring assets worth over Rs 1,744 crore belonging to himself and his family — one of the largest known declarations in the state. Sharif has four criminal cases pending against him, three of which he claims were based on allegations made while developing properties for his real estate business.
Time of India
3 hours ago
- Automotive
- Time of India
Rolls-Royces bought from Amitabh Bachchan and Aamir Khan land realtor with Rs 40 lakh tax bill: RTO cites years of illegal use in Karnataka; local road tax unpaid
BENGALURU: A flashy garage featuring Rolls-Royce cars, once owned by Bollywood stars Amitabh Bachchan and Aamir Khan, has now cost a Bengaluru-based realtor and politician nearly Rs 40 lakh in unpaid taxes. On Wednesday morning, a team of RTO officials swooped down on the Vasanthnagar residence of Yusuf Sharif, also known as KGF Babu, armed with evidence that he was operating Maharashtra-registered luxury cars in Bengaluru without paying the required state taxes. KGF Babu purchased a RollsRoyce Phantom from Amitabh Bachchan and a Rolls Royce Ghost from Aamir Khan. Officials said in 2021, field staff from the RTO impounded the Rolls-Royce bearing registration number MH 02 BB 0002. You Can Also Check: Bengaluru AQI | Weather in Bengaluru | Bank Holidays in Bengaluru | Public Holidays in Bengaluru However, the vehicle was released shortly afterward, allegedly due to the intervention of higher-ups in the department. The department collected a penalty of Rs 5,500 before releasing the vehicle. This decision irked junior officials, who were not convinced by the move and believed it was a strong case for recovering the pending tax. After a gap of four years, on Wednesday, the RTO once again visited KGF Babu-this time with substantial proof that the cars were still being used in the state without paying the applicable taxes. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 15 most beautiful women in the world Undo An official said: "Out-of-state registered vehicles must pay road tax if they are used in Karnataka for over a year. A notice was issued in 2021 for the luxury car purchased from Amitabh Bachchan. The other car, bought from Aamir Khan, has been in use since 2023, and we have gathered sufficient evidence of its operation within the state. After briefing KGF Babu about the rules and clarifying his queries, we asked him to pay the tax. He paid by cheque on the same day. For MH 02-BB-0002, Rs 19.8 lakh was collected, and for MH 11-AX-0001, Rs 18.5 lakh was paid." The official said that in 2021, when the initial tax demand was raised, KGF Babu claimed that the vehicle he purchased from Amitabh Bachchan was in Karnataka only for a month and would soon be returned to Mumbai permanently. "After the vehicle was impounded and later released, he briefly sent it back to Mumbai but soon brought it back to Bengaluru. We now have sufficient records of the vehicles' usage on Bengaluru roads, including footage captured by traffic surveillance cameras." 'Mistake out of ignorance' Later, KGF Babu told the media: "I have a passion for buying cars from celebrities. I bought these cars from Amitabh Bachchan and Aamir Khan. I already paid lifetime road tax for these vehicles in Maharashtra-Rs 50 lakh for one and Rs 35 lakh for the other. I wasn't aware that I had to pay tax again in Karnataka. I run a business in Mumbai, and these vehicles were registered to my office address there. They operate in Mumbai for 15 days and in Karnataka for the other 15 days. " He added: "On Wednesday, officials from the transport department visited my house without any prior notice. They informed me of the applicable tax, and I cleared the dues immediately. I made a mistake out of ignorance. I urge others who own vehicles registered outside Karnataka to voluntarily approach their local RTOs and clear any pending tax dues."
India.com
9 hours ago
- Automotive
- India.com
Bad news for Amitabh Bachchan, Aamir Khan as their old luxury cars fined Rs 38 lakhs due to...
Bad news for Amitabh Bachchan, Aamir Khan as their old luxury cars fined Rs 38 lakhs due to... The Regional Transport Office (RTO) in Bengaluru have reportedly fined two Rolls-Royce cars once owned by Bollywood icons Amitabh Bachchan and Aamir Khan for staggering Rs 38 lakh. Though the cars are still officially registered in their names, but they are no longer in actors' possession. Who is the current owner of Rolls-Royce cars? Both the luxury cars are now owned by Yusuf Sharif, a local businessman and politician better known as 'KGF Babu', a nickname owning to his roots in the mining town of Kolar Gold Fields- also inspired by the popular Kannada film series KGF. According to NDTV, Sharif purchased Rolls-Royce from Amitabh Bachchan and Aamir Khan a few years back, but never officially transferred the ownership on paper, leaving official registration under their names. According to RTO sources, Amitabh Bachchan's Phantom, has been using around Bengaluru since 2021, while the Ghost- previously owned by Aamir Khan, has been actively running since 2023. 'KGF Babu' handed heavy fine of Rs… Officials found that the Rolls-Royce car once owned by Amitabh Bachchan was flagged in 2021 for not paying road taxes. However, at that time it didn't complete a year in Bengaluru, so it was let go without penalty. But now both cars have been used in the city beyond one year, which violates city's transportation rules, resulting in hefty fines for current owner Yusuf Sharif. Rolls Royce Phantom was fined for Rs 18.53 lakh, while Ghost was fined Rs 19.73 lakh, for over-usage without payment of Karnataka's road tax. In 2021, Sharif who contested Karnataka Legislative Council elections from the Bangalore Urban local authorities' constituency, had announced over Rs 1,744 crore assets for himself and his family at the time.
India.com
12 hours ago
- Entertainment
- India.com
India's highest paid TV star? Salman Khan's Bigg Boss 19 fees will leave you in shock, actor to charge Rs...
India's highest paid TV star? Salman Khan's Bigg Boss 19 fees will leave you in shock, actor to charge Rs... Bigg Boss 19 is all set to begin soon, and the show is already creating buzz with the list of its final contestants. Slated to premier on JioHotstar from August 30 and being telecasted on television after 90 minutes, the audience can't wait to watch the upcoming season. As details of the show are currently making headlines, actor and host Salman Khan's fees for the show has also been revealed. How much is Salman Khan charging for Bigg Boss 19? According to a report by Screen, Khan will be taking home Rs 8-10 crore per weekend, which amplifies his total earnings to Rs 120-150 crore for hosting the show. As the season will run for five months, he will host the first three months, after which Farah Khan, Karan Johar, and Anil Kapoor are expected to take over. Reports mention that the Bigg Boss 19's promo was shot on July 12 from 2 pm till midnight, around a political-based theme. Unlike other seasons, this year's show is being treated as an extension of its OTT format. Moreover, this season's production is comparatively operated on a leaner budget. According to reports, Salman Khan previously took Rs 96 crore for hosting Bigg Boss OTT 2. For seasons 18 and 17, the actor charged Rs 250 crore and Rs 200 crore respectively. Amitabh Bachchan beats Salman Khan as highest-paid TV host? Amitabh Bachchan, who is all set to return to small screen as the host of Kaun Banega Crorepati 17, has surpassed Salman Khan in the race of the highest-paid TV host title. With the upcoming season that is set to premier on August 11, 2025, the legendary actor has reportedly become the top-paid host on Indian television. A report from indicates that Big B will be earning Rs 5 crore from five episodes each, which will make his weekly earnings to around Rs 25 crore. Bigg Boss 19 contestants Talking about this year's contestants, nothing has been finalised yet. However, rumours report around 20 names including celebrities like Gautami Kapoor, Gaurav Taneja, Mr Faisu, Dhanashree Verma, Dheeraj Dhoopar, Alisha Panwar, Khushi Dubey, Apoorva Mukhija, Purav Jha, Gaurav Khanna, Dhanashree Verma, Sriram Chandra, Arshifa Khan, and Mickey Makeover.
India Today
12 hours ago
- Automotive
- India Today
Rolls-Royce cars once owned by Big B, Aamir Khan fined Rs 38 lakh in Bengaluru
It is not every day that Amitabh Bachchan and Aamir Khan's names appear on a fine notice from the Karnataka Regional Transport Office (RTO). But that is exactly what happened when two Rolls-Royce cars once owned by the Bollywood superstars landed in trouble — not for speeding, but for skipping state road person behind the wheel these days is not a film star, but Bengaluru-based businessman and politician Yusuf Sharif, better known as 'KGF Babu'. He earned the nickname thanks to his roots in Kolar Gold Fields, the mining town made famous by the Kannada film 'KGF'.advertisementSharif is now facing fines totalling Rs 38.26 lakh for driving the luxury vehicles — a Rolls-Royce Phantom once owned by Bachchan and a Rolls-Royce Ghost previously belonging to Khan — without paying the local road tax in Karnataka. The cars are still officially registered in Maharashtra under the actors' names, though neither of them owns the vehicles anymore. According to transport officials, the Phantom has been seen on Bengaluru's roads since 2021, and the Ghost since 2023. Karnataka law requires vehicles used in the state for more than a year to be re-registered locally and taxed accordingly. Since both Rolls-Royces crossed that deadline without compliance, the RTO has slapped a Rs 18.53 lakh fine on the Phantom and Rs 19.73 lakh on the while the ownership has changed, the paperwork has not. The vehicles remain registered under the actors' names, as Sharif never formally transferred them to his own. Officials confirmed that both vehicles are being used regularly but remain, on paper, Bollywood who once made a living selling scrap, later moved into real estate and politics. In 2021, he contested the Karnataka Legislative Council elections from the Bangalore Urban local authorities' constituency, declaring family assets worth over Rs 1,744 RTO had previously flagged the Phantom in 2021 over tax issues but did not take action since it had not completed a year in the state. - Ends IN THIS STORY#Karnataka#Bengaluru
