The Railway Protection Force seized around Rs 1.5 crore in cash from a passenger aboard the Amrit Bharat Express at Nashik Road railway station on Thursday evening, handing the man and the seized money to the Income Tax Department for further investigation.
The action was carried out under Operation Satark, a security initiative being implemented at the station as part of special checks. RPF personnel reportedly noticed a passenger carrying a bag in a general-class compartment when train number 22112 arrived at Nashik Road.
The passenger was questioned after he appeared unable to satisfactorily answer questions about the contents of the bag. Sub-inspector Lakush Verma and assistant sub-inspector Dinesh Yadav then inspected it, according to the Times of India report. The RPF team involved in the seizure included head constable Narendra Padvi, constable Gautam Birade, constable Ravindra Rathore and other duty staff.
The seized cash included approximately 29,000 notes of Rs 500 denomination, totalling Rs 1.47 crore. The bag also contained 715 notes of Rs 200 denomination worth around Rs 1.4 lakh and 600 notes of Rs 100 denomination worth Rs 60,000. Together, the reported seizure amounted to approximately Rs 1.5 crore.
The passenger identified himself as a resident of Atpadi tehsil in Sangli and gave a current address in Bhavani Peth, Jalgaon district. He was also found carrying a general travel ticket. According to the report, he could not produce valid documents or provide a satisfactory explanation for the source, ownership or purpose of transporting the cash.
The RPF informed the Income Tax Department in Nashik after recovering the money. The suspect and the cash were subsequently handed over to Income Tax officials, who began examining the source of the funds and questioning the passenger before deciding on further action.
The seizure highlights the role of railway security personnel in intercepting suspicious consignments and alerting specialised agencies when a case involves possible financial or regulatory violations. Railway stations are high-volume transit points where passengers and goods move across districts and states, making coordinated checks between the RPF and other enforcement agencies an important part of station security operations.
The Income Tax Department’s inquiry will establish the source and intended use of the cash. The report did not indicate whether any formal case or additional action had been initiated against the passenger at the time of publication.
