6 men nabbed with Rs 35 lakh in new 2000 notes, 2.5 kg gold biscuits in Navi Mumbai
Khandeshwar police with the seized cash and gold
The Khandeshwar police seized over Rs 35 lakh cash in new Rs 2,000 notes and 2.5 kg in gold biscuits from six persons at New Panvel, the police said on Sunday.
The cops, who were acting on a tip-off, managed to nab the six men from a Tata Indica car from Adai Circle, in New Panvel, Navi Mumbai during the wee hours of Sunday.
The 35 lakh cash and 22 gold biscuits worth Rs 56 lakh were uncovered while checking the vehicle.
“Khandeshwar cops through their informers had a tip-off that huge cash in Rs 2,000 notes will be brought from Pune to the city. Hence vigilance was stepped up. Around 1 am on Sunday, an Indica car with a Pune registration number (MH-12,KN-6886) was intercepted. There were six passengers inside,” said senior inspector Jayraj Chhapriya from Khandeshwar police.
“One of them had a plastic bag kept at his feet in the rear. The bag contained several bundles of Rs 2,000 notes and 22 gold biscuits. When counted, there were 1,749 notes of Rs 2,000 collectively worth Rs 34.98 lakh and the gold biscuits weighed 2,250 grams, estimated to cost Rs 55.96 lakh,” he added.
The men are residents of Navi Mumbai and Pune, and have been identified as Tanaji Mekar (43), Devram Solanki (32), Sukharam Choudhary (38), Raghunath Mohite (30), Santosh Pawar (30) and Suryakant Kande (38).
Solanki and Choudhary, who said they run a general store, admitted to owning the cash. Meanwhile, Mekar, Mohite, Pawar and Kande claimed to work for jewellery stores and said the gold belonged to them.
Since they claimed ownership of the seized cash and gold, they were allowed to leave post questioning.
The Khandeshwar police have referred the case to the income tax department for further investigation. The I.T department has already launched an investigation to ascertain if the cash and gold was accounted for.
