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Indian businessman Balvinder Singh Sahni sentenced to five years in jail.
Dubai court confiscated 150 million Dirham and fined him 500,000 Dirham.
Sahni will face deportation upon completion of his prison sentence.
Dubai-based Indian billionaire businessman Balvinder Singh Sahni, popularly known as “Abu Sabah,” has received a five-year prison sentence for money laundering through a criminal organisation. According to Gulf News, the Dubai Fourth Criminal Court ordered the confiscation of 150 million Dirham from Sahni and imposed a fine of 500,000 Dirham (1,15,09,510). Additionally, Sahni will be deported after completing his sentence.
As the founder of RSG Group, Sahni has built a business empire with operations in the UAE, the US, and India. He gained fame for purchasing the “D5” license plate for Dh33 million, reportedly one of the most expensive in the Emirates. This extravagant purchase showcased his wealth and opulent lifestyle, drawing significant media attention.
Into the extravagant life of Balvinder Singh Sahni
Born on April 7, 1972, in Kuwait City, he is the founder and chairman of the RSG Group of Companies, a multi-billion-dirham conglomerate operating in real estate, automotive, industrial equipment, and investments across the Middle East, the US, India, and South Asia.
Their portfolio includes notable projects such as Qasr Sabah, a $123 million residential complex in Dubai Sports City, and Burj Sabah, a 24-story apartment complex in Jumeirah Village Circle valued at $50 million. Additionally, they have developed Sabah Rotana, a five-star hotel near Umm Suqeim, and Jebel Ali Central Rotana, a four-star hotel close to Jebel Ali Metro Station.
Sahni, of Punjabi heritage, started his entrepreneurial journey at 18, dropping out of a business management degree to establish an automotive spare parts business. His company later expanded into property development, with notable projects like Qasr Sabah, Burj Sabah, and hospitality ventures such as Sabah Rotana.
He gained public attention for his extravagant purchases, including the Dubai license plate “D5” for AED 33 million (approx. Rs 80 crore) in 2016 and the “O9” plate for AED 24.5 million, citing his belief in the lucky number 9 and a desire to contribute to Dubai’s charity and infrastructure, as the city has no income tax.
“I like collecting unique number plates and I am proud to have got this number. I like number nine and D5 adds up to nine, so I went for it,” he said.
The businessman, who lives in a lavish $100 million mansion in Dubai, also bought a mobile number (058-8888888) for AED 4.5 million.
His lavish lifestyle, featuring a collection of Rolls-Royce cars, a Mercedes-AMG G63, and a mansion with bespoke Bentley furniture and a Bugatti Chiron display, was showcased in media, including a YouTube video on the “Mo Vlogs” channel.
Beyond business, Sahni is recognised for philanthropy, particularly in Punjab. After his father, Amrik Singh, died in 2004, he built an old-age home, “Apna Ghar,” in Amritsar. Following his mother Harbans Kaur Sahni’s death in 2007, he constructed a tuberculosis hospital and later India’s largest hospital for the deaf and mute in the same region. He contributed AED 1 million to Abu Dhabi’s “Together We Are Good” program during the COVID-19 crisis and participated in fundraising for medical research. In 2020, he received the “Businessman of the Year” award at the Sikh Awards in Dubai.