Who is Balvinder Singh Sahni? Indian billionaire who paid Rs 80 crore for Rolls Royce fancy number ends up in Dubai jail

A Dubai-based Indian business tycoon has been jailed for five years over charges of money laundering, according to reports. Balvinder Singh Sahni, also known as Abu Sabah, was sentenced by Dubai’s Fourth Criminal Court on Friday.

 

He is the owner and chairperson of the property development firm Raj Sahni Group (RSG Group of Companies) which was one of the most profitable companies in the UAE. Sahni, known for his lavish lifestyle, was one of the big players in the Middle Eastern country and his firm had operations in the UAE, the US, India and other countries. 

 

Sahni shot to fame after he scooped up the fancy number D5 for Dh33 million (Rs 80 crore). This was then considered the most expensive purchase in the Emirate. After the purchase, Sahni reportedly said in an interview: "The car is worth $800,000 (Rs 67.66 crore) but the number plate is $9 million (Rs 80 crore). I feel proud of myself!"

 

He also revealed his lavish lifestyle on his Instagram page, which does not exist now. At that time, he had over one million followers.

 

Sahni grew up in wealth as he father had migrated to Kuwait in 1951 from Delhi. He claims he joined his father's business at the age of 18, convincing him to start a company selling spare parts and tyres.  Already an established name in Kuwait, Sahni shifted to Dubai in 2006, calling the move risky. "It was a very hard decision," he recalled in an early interview.  "In Kuwait, I was respected. Dubai was a different ballgame," he added.

 

Sahni also gained limelight in Kuwait when he paid Dh600,000 for the country’s most expensive mobile number. 

However, Sahni's empire collapsed after a case was filed against him at the Bur Dubai Police Station in 2024, according to Gulf News. Following an investigation, the case was referred to the Public Prosecution on December 18, 2024.

 

The first court session was held on January 9, 2025, which revealed Sahni and 32 others engaged in a complex money laundering operation that used shell companies and illicit transactions, according to The Gulf News. Sahni's son was also a defendant in the case while some of the defendants in the case were tried in absentia. Their assets were seized.

 

The court also seized belongings, including phones, in addition to $40 million (AED 150 million) in funds from Sahni. It also ruled that Sahni be deported following the completion of his jail sentence. 

 

Besides Sahni, another group of 10 people involved in the reported crime have been handed a fine of $54,450 and one year in jail, followed by deportation. Three companies linked to the group were fined $1.3 million (AED 5 million). 

Middle East