Who is KK Mishra? Tobacco baron back in spotlight after son’s Kanpur Lamborghini crash

Kk Mishra (L) and his son Shivam Mishra

• Lamborghini crash in Kanpur injures six, linked to KK Mishra's family.
• KK Mishra owns Banshidhar Tobacco Company, previously raided by Income Tax.
• Crash revives scrutiny of Mishra's business empire and past financial probes.

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Days after a high-speed Lamborghini crash in Kanpur left several pedestrians injured, attention has shifted back to tobacco businessman KK Mishra, whose family had earlier faced sweeping Income Tax investigations.

The luxury car allegedly driven by his son Shivam Mishra lost control near Rev-3 Mall on VIP Road in the upscale Gwaltoli area, injuring at least six people and damaging vehicles.

While the accident triggered immediate outrage, it has also revived public interest in KK Mishra’s business empire and past financial scrutiny.

However, KK Mishra has denied that his son Shivam was driving the Lamborghini involved in a crash, claiming the vehicle was being driven by a hired chauffeur when it malfunctioned and caused the accident that injured a pedestrian and damaged other vehicles.

Speaking to reporters, the tobacco baron said the car was being driven by a man identified as Mohan, while Shivam was seated inside the vehicle. “My son’s condition deteriorated rapidly. He was unconscious by the time he reached home. We immediately sent him to Delhi, where he is currently undergoing treatment under medical supervision,” KK Mishra said.

Who is KK Mishra?

KK Mishra, also known as Munna Mishra, is the owner of Banshidhar Tobacco Company, a Kanpur-based firm that supplies tobacco to several pan masala manufacturers across India. Over the years, he has built a strong presence in the tobacco trade and is considered an influential figure in the regional business circuit.

However, his name first entered national headlines in 2024 when the Income Tax Department carried out multi-location raids linked to his company and associated entities.

The searches, conducted across Uttar Pradesh, Delhi and other cities, were aimed at investigating alleged discrepancies between declared income and estimated turnover.

2024 Income Tax raids and financial scrutiny

As reported by The Sunday Guardian at the time, officials seized large amounts of unaccounted cash, luxury assets and high-end vehicles during the raids. Investigators were also said to be examining possible offshore transactions and irregular bookkeeping practices.

Properties connected to the Mishra family, including villas and a fleet of premium cars bearing identical number plates, were reportedly scrutinised. Expensive watches, jewellery and other valuables linked to family members were also seized during the searches, according to The Sunday Guardian.

While the outcomes of those probes have not been fully detailed in the public domain, the raids had already placed the Banshidhar Group under a national spotlight.