Police in Kanagawa Prefecture, neighboring Tokyo, on Friday sent papers to prosecutors on used car dealer Bigmotor. The company is accused of violating the road law due to alleged illegal felling of roadside trees outside one of its shops.

Last month, a former executive of Bigmotor, Kamohara Toshiyuki, was arrested on suspicion of instructing employees at its shop in the prefecture's Kawasaki City to fell trees on an outside sidewalk. He was in charge of overseeing the appearance of the company's outlets.

Kamohara and two employees at the shop were also referred to prosecutors on suspicion of violating the road law.

The police suspect that the illegal felling of roadside trees was conducted in relation to the company's business.

This move is believed to be the first time papers have been sent to prosecutors on Bigmotor as a corporation since the illegal handling of trees outside its shops across the country came to light.

The company has admitted that papers on it have been sent to prosecutors but declined to comment further.

Bigmotor is also under scrutiny in a separate instance of alleged wrongdoing. It has been accused of conducting unnecessary repairs and filing fraudulent insurance claims.