The Government Railway Police (GRP) in Secunderabad, working together with the Railway Protection Force (RPF), seized suspected hawala cash worth Rs 1.22 crore from a passenger travelling from Mumbai to Hyderabad on the Devagiri Express. The man taken into custody was identified as 40-year-old Vijay Ambadas Gupta, who hails from Sai Nagar’s Brundavan Colony in Maharashtra’s Amaravati district.

Police officials said the incident took place on May 26 during a routine joint inspection conducted by GRP and RPF teams on the Devagiri Express. Around 3 pm, officers noticed a passenger carrying a bag in a suspicious manner between Bollaram and Malkajgiri railway stations and stopped him for questioning.

During interrogation, Gupta allegedly revealed that he had received Rs 1,22,70,000 on May 25 from a Mumbai-based businessman identified as Santosh Seth, who reportedly operates Kantha Jewellery. He was allegedly instructed to transport the cash to Secunderabad and hand it over to another person known as “Banti,” said to be associated with a jewellery business in Monda Market.

Investigators stated that Gupta was promised Rs 5,000 for delivering the money. Officials suspect the cash was linked to hawala transactions related to the jewellery trade. Police further said the accused could not provide valid documents or a convincing explanation regarding the ownership, source, or purpose of the money. His statement was later recorded in the presence of two mediators, and officers also seized his mobile phone, ID cards, and train ticket as part of the investigation. The confiscated amount reportedly included 24,000 notes of Rs 500, 300 notes of Rs 200, and 2,100 notes of Rs 100, bringing the total seizure to Rs 1,22,70,000.

The operation was led by B. Saieashwar Goud, IRP/SHO, along with T. Madhav SIRP and other staff members, in coordination with RPF officials and the Hyderabad divisional CPDS team under the supervision of senior officers. IGP Railway and Road Safety K. Ramesh Naidu praised the GRP Secunderabad team for successfully intercepting the illegal cash movement and announced that the officers involved would be rewarded for their efforts.