Call centre scam kingpin Shaggy bought Audi from Virat Kohli: Reports

New Delhi: In a sensational revelation, the Thane police investigating in the fake call centre said that a luxury car seized from Ahmedabad belonging to Sagar Thakkar alias 'Shaggy' was purchased from Virat Kohli.

According to reports, Thakkar – the mastermind of the scam – had purchased the 3 crore Audi R-8 vehicle from India Test captain in May this year for Rs. 60 lakh through a broker.

Thakkar, who is on the run, gifted the car to his girlfriend.

"We have seized the Audi R8 vehicle, worth Rs 3 crore, that Thakkar had purchased from the proceeds of his ill gotten wealth. On enquiries, we found that he had purchased the vehicle from cricketer Virat Kohli,” The Indian Express quoted DCP Parag Manere as saying.

"Kohli obviously did not know about Thakkar’s background and is not linked to the case in any way," Manare added.

The police seized the vehicle from Ahmedabad, and the Thane Crime Branch had reportedly spent Rs. 50000 towards transportation cost to bring it to the city.

"It's a 2012 model. The deal was finalised on May 7, and the car is still in Virat Kohli's name as Thakkar never forwarded the details of his PAN Card and other documents to get it transferred in his name," a source told TOI.

The scam, which operated since 2013, was busted on October 5 when Thane police raided 12 call centres in the Mira Road-Bhayander area.

It's revealed that call centre employees would make calls to US citizens posing as officers from Internal Revenue Service (IRS). And they had already targeted at least 15,000 American citizens.