Lawsuit: New Jersey car dealer refused to sell to man over Taliban concern

PARAMUS, NJ -- An Indian national living in the U.S. is suing a New Jersey car dealership for more than $1 million, alleging it refused to sell him a luxury vehicle because a manager thought he might ship it to the Taliban.

Surjeet Bassi, of Wallkill, New York, claims in the federal suit that he and his business partner went into Prestige Motors in Paramus in June to trade in his Mercedes-Benz SUV for a newer model.

Bassi says he and the salesman reached a deal, but the manager said he couldn't sell the car to Bassi. The suit says the manager told Bassi he came from a "high-risk area" where people buy cars and export them to the Taliban.

Bassi says he has nothing to do with the Taliban, which controls parts of Afghanistan.

A request for comment from the dealership's lawyer wasn't immediately returned.