'Irani Kepmar Gang' members arrested from Maharashtra for cheating an elderly man outside SBI Garden Reach branch

An elderly man from Nadia district became the latest victim of the infamous “Irani Kepmar Gang” when three members robbed him of Rs 50,000 in broad daylight right outside the State Bank of India branch in Garden Reach on 28th October. Khokan Bala (60) had just withdrawn the cash and stepped out of the bank when the trio surrounded him, sweetly warned him that banks sometimes give fake notes, and offered to “help” him check the bundle. Within seconds, using lightning-fast hand tricks, they swapped the real notes and vanished from the spot.

Kolkata Police’s Detective Department along with the West Port thana officers swung into action, pulled out CCTV footages from the bank, and matched the faces to the well-known Irani gang that operates across states with the same “fake currency” trick. Working on solid tip-offs, detectives tracked the three men – Javed Hossain Irani (55), Abed Irani (40), and Saru Nishad Ali Irani (59) – all residents of Kalyan in Thane, Maharashtra. On 19 November, with court permission, the team arrested them in a clean operation.

After tough questioning, the gang members revealed where they had hidden the loot, and police recovered Rs 45,000 in cash – most of the stolen amount.The Irani Kepmar Gang is notorious for targeting elderly people near banks with this exact sleight-of-hand method and has dozens of cases in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Delhi and Bengal. Officers say the recovered money will be returned to Khokan Bala after court formalities. The three accused are presently in police custody and has been produced in court again today as probe continues to trace other possible victims and remaining cash.