Who is Balvinder Singh Sahni, the Indian-origin billionaire jailed in Dubai?

A Dubai-based Indian-origin business tycoon has been sentenced to five years in prison after being found guilty of financial crimes, including money laundering.

Balvinder Singh Sahni, more popularly known as Abu Sabah, was handed the jail term by Dubai’s Fourth Criminal Court on Friday. Alongside the prison sentence, Sahni has also been slapped with a hefty fine of AED 500,000 (approximately Rs 1.14 crore).

But the repercussions don’t end there. The court has further ordered the confiscation of staggering AED 150 million (around Rs 344 crore) funds from the billionaire businessman before he is deported from the country.

So, who exactly is Balvinder Singh Sahni? And what are the charges that brought down one of Dubai’s most elite businessmen? Here’s what we know so far.

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Who is Balvinder Singh Sahni?

-Born on April 7, 1972, Balvinder Singh Sahni is the founder and chairman of the Raj Sahni Group (RSG), a multi-billion-dirham conglomerate involved in real estate, automotive, industrial equipment, and investments across the West Asia, the US, India, and South Asia.

-Some of RSG’s high-profile Dubai property portfolio includes projects such as:
Qasr Sabah – $123 million residential complex in Dubai Sports CityBurj Sabah – 24-storey apartment building in Jumeirah Village Circle, worth $50 million

Sabah Rotana – Five-star hotel near Umm Suqeim

Jebel Ali Central Rotana – Four-star hotel near the Jebel Ali Metro Station

-The 53-year-old businessman is a well-connected member of Dubai’s elite circle, often seen wearing his unique royal blue kandura, baseball cap and matching trainers. A known luxury car collector, Sahni frequently shared photos of his vehicles with his 3.3 million Instagram followers.

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-He shot to fame in 2016 for purchasing a single-digit vehicle license plate ‘ D5’ for his Rolls-Royce car for nearly AED 33 million (Rs 75 crore) at a special auction, which was the most expensive number plate.“I have both Dubai 5 and Abu Dhabi 5,” he reportedly said in a 2022 interview, adding: “I don’t even know how many cars I have. My number plates alone are worth more than my vehicles.”

-Among his luxury cars is his limited-edition black Bugatti, which he once parked in the centre of his $100 million Palm Jumeirah mansion on the advice that something black would protect him from the “evil eye,” Khaleej Times reported.

“I don’t even like black,” Sahni said in a YouTube interview filmed in his gold-trimmed home. “But they said it wards off the evil eye," he was quoted as saying.

-The businessman also gained limelight in Kuwait when he paid Dh600,000 (Rs 1.37 crore) for the country’s most expensive mobile number (058-8888888).

-Sahni, of Punjabi heritage, started his business journey at 18, dropping out of a business management degree to launch an automotive spare parts business. While his father had already established a name in Kuwait, Sahni shifted to Dubai in 2006, terming it as a risky move.“It was a very hard decision,” he recalled in an early interview. “In Kuwait, I was respected. Dubai was a different ballgame,” he added.

-Apart from business, Sahni is known for his philanthropy, especially 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 passing in 2007, he constructed a tuberculosis hospital and later India’s largest hospital for the deaf and mute in the same city.

-He has also donated AED 1 million to Abu Dhabi’s “Together We Are Good” program during the COVID-19 pandemic and took part in fundraising for medical research. In 2020, he was awarded the “Businessman of the Year” title at the Sikh Awards in Dubai.

What is the case against him?

Balvinder Singh Sahni was among 34 individuals convicted of running a sophisticated financial crime network. The group was accused of funnelling millions of dirhams through shell companies and suspicious money transfers in a wide-reaching operation.

The case against Sahni began after a report was filed at the Bur Dubai Police Station last year, triggering a formal investigation.

On December 18, 2024, the matter was referred to the Public Prosecution, which uncovered significant financial data and business connections both within the UAE and abroad.

The investigation led to a court session on January 9, where the complex nature of the money laundering scheme was laid bare.

Sahni’s son was also named as one of the main defendants. Several others involved in the case were tried in absentia, while authorities moved to seize assets linked to the operation.

In addition to freezing AED 150 million (about $40 million) in funds, the court confiscated various personal belongings, including mobile phones.

As part of the verdict, the court ruled that Sahni would be deported after completing his five-year prison sentence.

While Sahni and his son received the maximum penalty, others in the case were handed lighter sentences, including one-year jail terms and AED 200,000 fines.

With input from agencies