Dubai 'P7' number plate sold for One Arab Twenty Two Crore Sixty One Lakh Forty Four Thousand Seven Hundred Rupees

The starting bid for the number plate was Dh15 million and within seconds the bid rose to over Dh30 million. The bid then stagnated at Dh25 million for several minutes and the bid was placed by Pavel Valeryevich Durov, the French-Emirati businessman, the founder and owner of the app Telegram.

P7 became the most expensive vehicle number plate and was sold for a record Dh55M at the "Most Noble Numbers' auction in Dubai.The starting bid for the number plate was Dh15 million and within seconds the bid rose to over Dh30 million. The bid then stagnated at Dh25 million for several minutes and the bid was placed by Pavel Valeryevich Durov, the French-Emirati businessman, the founder and owner of the app Telegram.

The price rose quickly until it reached the amount of Dh55 million (INR:1,226,144,700) by bid panel seven who wished to remain anonymous. The crowd cheered and applauded as each bid was placed.

Many other VIP number plates and phone number were also auctioned at the same time and auction process raised nearly Dh100 million ($27 million) for a Ramzan food appeal. In total, Dh97,920,000 ($26662313) was raised from the sale of car plates and exclusive mobile phone numbers at the Four Seasons hotel in Jumeirah.

The event was organised by Emirates Auction, Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority, Etisalat and Du.

'P 7' topped the list after a bidding war between several people who wanted to break the existing record set in 2008, when a businessman paid Dh52.2 million for Abu Dhabi's number 1 plate.

All proceeds from the noblest numbers auction will go to the One Billion Meals campaign, which was launched to boost efforts to combat global hunger. The One Billion Meals Endowment was launched by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, in line with the generous spirit of Ramzan.