Major Haul of ₹1.22 Crore in Hawala Money Seized by Railway Police

Hyderabad, May 28: The Government Railway Police (GRP) and Railway Protection Force (RPF) have successfully seized over ₹1.22 crore in hawala money being transported from Mumbai to Secunderabad. One individual has been taken into custody in connection with this case.

According to police reports, a joint inspection was conducted on May 26 aboard the Devagiri Express (Train No. 17057). During this operation, a suspicious person was apprehended between Bolaram and Malkajgiri railway stations around 3 PM. A search of his bag revealed a significant amount of cash.

The detained individual has been identified as Vijay Ambadas Gupta, 40, a resident of Sai Nagar, Brindavan Colony in Amravati district, Maharashtra.

During questioning, Gupta disclosed that he had received ₹1 crore 22 lakh 70 thousand from a person named Santosh Seth, who runs ‘Kantha Jewelry’ in Mumbai, on May 25. Following Seth’s instructions, Gupta was transporting this amount on the Devagiri Express to deliver it to Bunty, who operates a jewelry shop in Monda Market, Secunderabad.

Police stated that Gupta was promised ₹5,000 in return for delivering the money. Initial investigations suggest that this amount is linked to hawala transactions related to the jewelry business.

However, the accused was unable to provide any valid documents regarding the cash or satisfactory answers concerning its source, ownership, and intended use. His statement was recorded in the presence of two witnesses. Authorities also seized Gupta’s mobile phone, identification card, and travel ticket.

The seized cash included 24,000 notes of ₹500 totaling ₹1.20 crore, 300 notes of ₹200 amounting to ₹60,000, and 2,100 notes of ₹100 totaling ₹2.10 lakh.

This operation was led by GRP Secunderabad Station House Officer B. Saiwshar Goud, along with SI T. Madhav and their team, in collaboration with RPF officials. Senior officers, including Railway Police Superintendent Sandeep IPS, monitored the operation. K. Ramesh Naidu IPS, IG of Railway and Road Safety, commended the GRP Secunderabad and RPF teams for their efforts.