₹1.22 Crore Hawala Money Seized from Train Passenger in Secunderabad

May 28, 2026

Hyderabad: The Government Railway Police (GRP) Secunderabad, along with Railway Protection Force (RPF) staff, apprehended a man transporting hawala money worth ₹1.22 crore from Mumbai to Hyderabad on the Devagiri Express, police said.

The detained person was identified as Vijay Ambadas Gupta (40), a resident of Brundavan Colony, Sai Nagar in Maharashtra’s Amaravati district.

Passenger Held During Joint Railway Check

According to officials, on May 26, during a joint checking operation conducted by GRP and RPF staff on the Devagiri Express, a man carrying a luggage bag under suspicious circumstances was intercepted at around 3 PM between Bollaram and Malkajgiri railway stations.

During interrogation, the accused disclosed that on May 25 he had received ₹1,22,70,000 from a person identified as ‘Santosh Seth’, who allegedly runs ‘Kantha Jewellery’ in Mumbai.

Cash Linked to Hawala Transactions

Police said the accused was transporting the cash to Secunderabad to hand it over to another person identified as ‘Banti’, who reportedly runs a jewellery shop at Monda Market in Secunderabad. He was allegedly promised ₹5,000 for transporting the cash.

Officials stated that the money was linked to hawala transactions connected with the jewellery business. However, the accused failed to produce valid documents or provide a satisfactory explanation regarding the source and ownership of the cash.

Currency Notes, Mobile Phone Seized

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

Police also seized the accused’s mobile phone, ID proofs and railway ticket. The confession statement was recorded in the presence of mediators.

The operation was carried out jointly by GRP and RPF officials under the supervision of senior railway police officers. IGP Railway and Road Safety K. Ramesh Naidu appreciated the officials involved in the seizure and announced rewards for the team.