LuLu Yusuff Ali gets fancy car number for just Rs 2,000!

January 14, 2017

Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 14: Like how fortune proverbially favours the reckless, it seems a billionaire has to only covet something and it comes to him dirt cheap. At the much-awaited auction of new 'CA' series of vehicle registration numbers, the fancy number KL-CA 01 was bid and won by M A Yusuff Ali for, hold your breath, just Rs 2,000.

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Only three bidders participated in the auction held at the Thiruvananthapuram regional transport office last week for registration number KL 01. While Yusuff Ali -- managing director of LuLu Group International who features in Forbes India Rich List 2016 -- quoted Rs 2,000, the other bids were for Rs 1,500 and Rs 1,000.

According to MVD officials, it was the cheapest amount quoted for the much sought-after registration number '01' in the recent past. The officials were expecting an impressive bidding for the series and thus more revenue for the department. Last year, KL 01 BX was auctioned at Rs 10.01 lakh and KL 01 BY at Rs 7.5 lakh. However, KL BZ 01 was auctioned for just Rs 6000.

In fact, those who bid after Yosuff Ali didn't share his luck -- CA 02 was auctioned for Rs 26,000 and CA 03 was auctioned for Rs 1.25 lakh. But, CA 05 could fetch only Rs 1,500 and CA 09 just Rs 1,000.

"As it was a fancy number and had good demand, we expected a minimum of Rs 10 lakh. But, we were surprised that the other contestants left the bid midway without offering higher quotes than Rs 2,000," said an MVD official.

Officials suspect the role of middlemen who, unknown to the bidders themselves, 'arrange' for under-pricing certain bids. While an original bidder like Yusuff Ali ends up paying a big amount, middlemen with help from low level-officials in MVD ensure that the fancy number concerned is auctioned for a very low amount, thus allowing them to pocket the rest of the money.

"The registered vehicle owners or their representatives may have made settlement before the bidding process begins. Similar suspicious cases have been reported elsewhere too, where a certain fancy number is auctioned at a far lower amount than expected. An enquiry will be conducted on suspicious cases in the auction process. With the launch of e-auction process the system will become transparent," said transport commissioner S Aanantha Krishnan.

When contacted, the office of Yusuff Ali said they are in the process of registering a few vehicles in Thiruvananthapuram RTO. The official said the company followed due process of law in all such deals and sought more time to provide exact details of the registration in question.

Also Read: This NRI business tycoon in Dubai buys number plate for Rs 60 crore!

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News Network
December 20,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 20: The Mangaluru City Police have issued a detailed traffic advisory ahead of the inaugural ceremony of Karavali Utsava, which will be held at the Karavali Utsava Ground on Saturday.

The festival will be inaugurated at 6:00 pm by Dakshina Kannada District Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao. Cultural and public programmes will be held at the venue every evening and will continue until January 2.

According to City Police Commissioner Sudheer Kumar Reddy, parking of vehicles is strictly prohibited on both sides of the road from Lalbagh to Karavali Utsava Ground. Visitors are requested to park their vehicles only at designated parking areas.

To help the public, traffic signboards and parking guidance flex boards have been installed along the routes leading to the venue. The police have urged commuters and visitors to follow these instructions to ensure smooth traffic movement.

Designated Parking Locations

•    Urwa Market Ground – Cars
•    Gandhinagar Government School (near Press Club) – Two-wheelers and cars
•    Ladyhill Church parking area – Two-wheelers and cars
•    Canara School Ground, Mannagudda – Two-wheelers and cars
•    Thimmappa Hotel premises – Two-wheelers and cars
•    Scout and Guide Bhavana premises (behind Karavali Utsava Grounds) – Two-wheelers
•    Urwa Market Road – Two-wheelers
•    Hat Hill Road – Two-wheelers

The police have appealed to the public to cooperate by following traffic rules and parking guidelines to avoid inconvenience during the festival.

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News Network
December 16,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 16: The Mangaluru City police have significantly escalated their campaign against drug trafficking, arresting 25 individuals and booking 12 cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act between November 30 and December 13. The crackdown resulted in the seizure of a substantial quantity of illicit substances, including 685.6 grams of MDMA and 1.5 kg of ganja.

The success of this recent drive has been significantly boosted by the city’s innovative, QR code-based anonymous reporting system.

"The anonymous reporting system has received an encouraging response. Several recent arrests were made based on inputs received through this system, helping police tighten the noose around drug peddlers," said the City Police Commissioner.

The latest arrests contribute to a robust year-to-date record, underscoring the police's relentless commitment to combating the drug menace.

Up to December 14 this year, the police have registered a total of 107 cases of drug peddling, leading to the arrest of 219 peddlers. Furthermore, they have booked 562 cases of drug consumption, resulting in the arrest of 671 individuals.

The scale of the seizure for the year reflects the magnitude of the problem being tackled: police have seized 320.6 kg of ganja worth ₹88.7 lakh and 1.4 kg of MDMA valued at ₹1.2 crore. Other significant seizures include hydro-weed ganja worth ₹94.7 lakh and cocaine worth ₹1.9 lakh, among others.

The Commissioner emphasized a policy of rigorous enforcement: "We ensure that peddlers are caught red-handed so that they cannot later dispute the case or claim innocence."

To counter the rising trend of substance abuse among youth, the Mangaluru City police have rolled out uniform guidelines for random drug testing across educational institutions.

As part of the drive, tests were conducted in approximately 100 institutions, screening an estimated 5,500 to 6,000 students in the first phase. 20 students tested positive for drug consumption during the initial screening.

Students who tested positive have been provided counselling and are scheduled for re-testing in the second quarter. The testing will also be expanded to students not covered in the first phase. In a move to ensure strict implementation, police personnel were deployed in mufti in some institutions. Reiterating a zero-tolerance stance, the Commissioner confirmed that random testing will continue, and colleges have also been instructed to conduct drug tests at the time of admission to deter substance abuse from an early stage.

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News Network
December 19,2025

Mangaluru: The Mangaluru CEN police have arrested a 23-year-old man for allegedly posting provocative and misleading content on an Instagram page named “mr_a_titude”, targeting the Bajpe police.

Mangaluru Commissioner of Police Sudheer Kumar Reddy C H identified the arrested as Abhishek M, a resident of Katipalla in Mangaluru.

A case has been registered at the Bajpe Police Station under Sections 353(1)(c), 353(2), 56, and 57 read with Section 189 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) in connection with the post.

According to police, the accused uploaded a photograph of a hotel on the Instagram page and alleged that accused persons in a murder case under the Bajpe police jurisdiction were being given “royal treatment” by the police, including being served beef meals daily from the hotel.

The post further accused the police of supporting criminals, misusing their authority, and betraying public trust. Police said the content was provocative in nature and aimed at inciting public outrage against the police.

Following the post, a case was registered at the Bajpe police station, and further investigation was transferred to the CEN police station.

Police records indicate that the accused has a criminal history, with multiple cases registered against him, including murder, attempt to murder, assault, and robbery at the Surathkal Police Station, and one case at the Kaup Police Station.

The Commissioner said the accused was traced and arrested using technical evidence.

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