Crime
₹400-Cr Demonetised Cash Heist Cover-Up? Complainant Alleges Political ‘Fixing’ In SIT Probe
Mumbai: The probe into the alleged Rs 400-crore demonetised currency heist at Chorla Ghat near the Maharashtra–Karnataka border has entered a volatile phase after complainant Sandeep Patil alleged that the investigation was being ‘manipulated under political pressure.’ Patil told media on Tuesday that certain officers are attempting to alter the course of the probe to facilitate a high-level cover-up.
He further alleged that the focus of the agency has shifted from recovering the massive cache of stolen currency to an all-out attempt to silence him, claiming he has been threatened by senior officers and warned not to disclose sensitive details discussed prior to the registration of the formal complaint.
Patil alleged that the officers concerned were fully aware of the Rs 400-crore cash movement and had conducted detailed inquiries, including recording statements of the accused, nearly 20 days before a formal FIR was registered in Nashik. He further claimed that vested interests were now attempting to suggest that the alleged heist never occurred; a move, he alleged, was aimed at protecting certain influential beneficiaries.
Revealing what he described as an unofficial probe into the alleged heist by Nashik police prior to his formal complaint, Patil accused Local Crime Branch (LCB) inspector Ravindra Magar, a member of the SIT, of pressuring and warning him not to disclose details of a crucial meeting held on December 19 last year.
This meeting, which took place almost three weeks before the formal case was filed, was reportedly attended by Patil, Inspector Magar, and an accused named Jayesh Kadam. During this session, Kadam allegedly disclosed details regarding the cash movement, including specific container numbers, the mechanics of the heist, the role of a prominent hawala operator, and a suspected political funding angle. Patil alleged that electronic evidence related to these discussions had been shared by Kadam with Magar well before the case was officially on the record, making the current denials a matter of deep suspicion.
According to Patil, he is now being pressured not to reveal details of the meeting, while the SIT is accepting revised statements from the accused that contradict earlier versions on which the FIR was based, and is attempting to project that the alleged Rs 400-crore heist never occurred. Magar however denied the allegation and said the matter is under Additional SP supervision.
To support his allegations, Patil claimed that the same set of officers who had unofficially probed the matter on the instructions of senior officials for nearly two months prior to the filing of his complaint are now officially investigating the case as part of the SIT, which was constituted by Nashik Rural Superintendent of Police Balasaheb Patil.
Senior officials familiar with the probe said that Patil’s allegations align with statements made by arrested accused Jayesh Kadam during police custody. Kadam has categorically denied having given the statement attributed to him prior to the registration of the FIR and has alleged that the signatures on that statement were forged. The disputed statement formed the basis of the FIR registered at Ghoti police station in Nashik Gramin.
Sources said during custodial interrogation by the same SIT officers who had earlier recorded his statement, Kadam has now claimed that no Rs 400-crore heist occurred and that the matter involved cheating and forgery amounting to Rs 35 crore. The alleged transaction has been linked to absconding accused Thane-based builder Kishor Sawala and Virat Gandhi, a hawala operator based in Ahmedabad.
However, audio and video evidence, shared by the complaint with the SIT via a pendrive and recovered from Jayesh Kadam, clearly shows that Kadam’s statement does not match the evidence.
Responding to the allegations, SIT chief and Additional Superintendent of Police (Nashik Rural) Aditya Mirkhelkar told media that the investigation is currently based solely on the statements of the four accused in custody. “They claim they acted on behalf of a Thane-based builder but have not seen any cash. Whatever they are stating is based only on what they were told,” he said, adding that discrepancies, concealment and possibly misleading statements were part of the ongoing probe.
Mirkhelkar added that the alleged heist could only be conclusively verified after the arrest and examination of the two absconding accused, Sawala and Gandhi, whose versions would determine whether the Rs 400-crore cash movement actually occurred. He did not respond specifically to queries regarding Kadam’s change in statement.
Patil further revealed that the disputed statements of accused Jayesh Kadam were linked to a December 19 meeting last year, when LCB PI Ravindra Magar and Dattaji Shinde, both now part of the SIT, allegedly called Patil and Kadam to the LCB office. This was reportedly the first meeting after Kadam’s original statement had been recorded. According to Patil, during the meeting, Kadam told Magar in his presence that that the case involved a sum much larger than Rs 400 crore in demonetised currency, allegedly linked to a political party and a Gujarat-based ashram.
Kadam claimed that builder Kishor Sawala executed the transaction on behalf of a politician, while hawala operator Virat Gandhi handled consignments for the ashram. Gandhi reportedly demanded a Rs 150-crore security deposit for the ashram, to be returned after the transaction. Two consignments, worth Rs 150 crore and Rs 250 crore, were allegedly transported from an undisclosed Karnataka location to the Ahmedabad-based ashram but were stolen at Chorla Ghat, at the tri-junction of Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Goa. Kadam is said to have shared photographs of the consignments with Magar and identified Gandhi as a key participant.
According to Patil, two officers employed various tactics to pressure him into not filing the FIR. Even after the matter came under SIT jurisdiction, he alleged that the same officers continued threatening him and attempting to mislead the investigation.
Crime
Rs 734 crore GST scam: Jharkhand businessman, son arrested by ED sent to judicial custody

Ranchi, Oct 2: A Special PMLA Court sent a Jamshedpur businessman and his son to judicial custody after they were arrested by the ED in a case related to a GST fraud involving approximately Rs 734 crore, said an official on Friday.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested Gyanchand Jaiswal, alias Bablu Jaiswal, and his son, Raj Jaiswal, in connection with the GST fraud on September 30, an official said.
The ED interrogated the two arrested accused to gather information about the alleged fraudulent GST transactions and the associated money flow before producing them before the Special Court for custody proceedings on Thursday, an official said in a statement.
They were arrested after the ED raided several locations in Jamshedpur, Adityapur, Gamharia, and Kolkata. After conducting medical examinations, the ED team brought them to Ranchi.
The ED said that this case involves the alleged use of fake invoices to obtain input tax credit (ITC) without any actual purchase or sale of goods.
The agency is also investigating transactions made through shell companies and the associated money flow. During Wednesday’s operation, the ED searched premises linked to Gyanchand Jaiswal, as well as the premises of his auditor, Sanjay Parekh, and other individuals, officials said.
They further mentioned that the investigating team examined business documents, GST-related records, banking and financial transaction documents, and electronic devices.
This ED action was taken under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), officials said.
The investigating agency suspects that large-scale misuse of ITC was allegedly carried out through shell companies and paper transactions. The initial investigation into the case was conducted by the Directorate General of GST Intelligence (DGGI), Jamshedpur.
The investigation revealed the misuse of ITC through shell companies and fake invoices.
According to a 2024 order of the Jharkhand High Court, Gyanchand Jaiswal was arrested in June 2024 in a case registered under the GST Act and was subsequently remanded to judicial custody.
The ED investigation has reportedly uncovered several companies and fraudulent transactions linked to this network.
The agency also took action against several other businessmen from Jamshedpur and Kolkata in connection with this case in 2025.
Crime
Delhi Crime Branch arrests active member of Takkar gang in attempt-to-murder case

New Delhi, Oct 2: The Delhi Police Crime Branch on Friday arrested an active member of the Takkar Gang, who had also been declared a proclaimed offender, in connection with an attempt to murder case, officials said.
The accused, identified as 30-year-old Gulam Khawaza alias Aaley, a resident of Delhi’s Dabri, was arrested by a team of the NDR/Crime Branch. He was wanted in connection with FIR No. 594/2023 registered under Sections 307 and 34 of the IPC and Sections 25 and 27 of the Arms Act at Sagarpur Police Station.
According to police, in November 2023, Irfan was operating a Satta business in the Raghu Nagar area. Kunal, who was involved in betting with Irfan, suffered losses and was asked to clear the outstanding amount. He subsequently contacted Vicky alias Takkar, who was in jail at the time, and sought his assistance.
Police said Vicky alias Takkar then contacted his associate Gulam Khawaza alias Aaley and directed him to go to Irfan’s betting premises. Khawaza allegedly arranged a pistol and handed it over to Aman, instructing him to fire at Irfan.
On December 3, 2023, at around 8 p.m., Gulam, along with Kunal, Hemu and Aman, reached Irfan’s betting premises. Aman allegedly fired two rounds at Irfan, one of which hit his leg, while the other missed. The accused persons then fled the spot. During the investigation, all four accused were arrested by the local police and the pistol was recovered from Aman.
Police said Khawaza was granted interim bail for 14 days on medical grounds on March 25. However, he failed to surrender after the bail period expired and absconded. He subsequently left Delhi and evaded arrest by frequently changing his hideouts and concealing his identity and movements. He was declared a proclaimed offender by the court on August 5.
The Crime Branch constituted a dedicated team comprising SI Dipender Singh and Head Constables Rajbir, Ram Niwas, Parmanand, Kuldeep, and Anchal Kumar under the supervision of Inspectors Yogesh Kumar and Vinod Yadav and overall supervision of ACP Umesh Barthwal.
Based on technical surveillance and local intelligence, the team received information that Khawaza would arrive in Delhi and proceed to Anand Vihar Railway Station before going to the residence of gang leader Takkar in Sitapuri. Acting on the information, the team laid a trap at Anand Vihar Railway Station and apprehended him.
During interrogation, Khawaza disclosed his association with the Takkar Gang and its activities in Dwarka, Dabri, Uttam Nagar and adjoining areas of Haryana. He was formally arrested under Section 35(1)(D) of the BNSS and is being produced before the concerned court.
Police said Khawaza, a Delhi University graduate, has previously been involved in 11 criminal cases, including cases under the Arms Act and an attempt to murder. According to the Crime Branch, he joined the Takkar Gang after the alleged killing of his close friend Gaurav alias Kaku in 2019 and subsequently became involved in criminal activities.
Crime
BSF thwarts infiltration bid at Punjab border, shoots two Pakistani intruders dead

Amritsar, Oct 2: The Border Security Force (BSF) on Friday thwarted a major infiltration attempt across the India-Pakistan border in Punjab by neutralising two Pakistani intruders who tried to sneak into Indian territory in the state’s Tarn Taran district, officials said.
The incident occurred in the BOP Rajoke area of Tarn Taran early in the day.
According to sources, the BSF troopers swung into action after noticing suspicious movement near the border and challenged the purported infiltrators.
At least three individuals were moving towards the Indian border from the Chattanwala area on the Pakistani side, the sources said, adding that they were challenged and warned against moving any further. When they did not pay any heed and kept moving towards the Indian side, the BSF personnel opened fire.
While two infiltrators were shot dead, a third one managed to run back. The identity of the neutralised Pakistani intruders is yet to be ascertained.
The dead bodies have been handed over to police for a post-mortem examination and further proceedings are underway, in close coordination with the Punjab Police.
The incident underscores the level of alertness maintained by security agencies regarding infiltration attempts along the India-Pakistan border in the Punjab sector.
The incident comes amid continued security concerns along Punjab’s 553-km-long international border with Pakistan, which has witnessed several infiltration and cross-border smuggling attempts in recent years. However, several of these were successfully foiled by the BSF jawans.
Meanwhile, Punjab Police dismantled two illegal arms and narcotics supply networks and apprehended four accused and recovered 10 kg of heroin and 10 pistols.
Preliminary investigation revealed that the accused are allegedly linked to foreign-based smugglers and are involved in procuring illegal weapons and narcotics, Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav said.
Two first information reports (FIRs) were registered in Amritsar. Further investigation is underway to uncover the complete network and establish the backward and forward linkages, he added.
In a related earlier development, Amritsar Rural Police had dismantled an illegal arms and narcotics supply network with the arrest of three people, comprising a woman, her husband and her brother. The police had recovered 10.030 kg of heroin, two sophisticated assault rifles, including an AK-47 and an AK-56, along with three magazines and 10 cartridges from their possession.
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