Police recover 72 lakh cash from Kolkata-bound bus, arrest 4 people

In a major police operation, a substantial amount of cash, totaling 72 lakh, was recovered from a Kolkata-bound bus in East Burdwan. The dramatic seizure, which took place late on Thursday night, resulted in the arrest of four individuals. The recovery has led to widespread speculation, especially in the run-up to the Bihar Assembly elections, as the cash was being transported from the state.

The police of the Memari police station carried out the operation. At approximately 12:30 am, the police intercepted a private passenger bus traveling from Bhagalpur to Kolkata at the Palsit toll plaza on National Highway No. 19 of the Durgapur Expressway. A thorough search of the vehicle was conducted, leading to the discovery of a large sum of money hidden in two separate bags.

Police immediately detained the two bus drivers, a khalasi, and a passenger, as they were unable to produce any valid documents or provide a convincing explanation for the large sum of cash. All four were later formally arrested. The arrested individuals have been identified as Shambhunath Verma, Bablu Das, Krishna Das, and Naveen Kumar Singh, all residents of Bhagalpur and Banka districts in Bihar.

According to police officials, the successful raid was based on a specific tip-off from a confidential source. The Memari police station had received prior intelligence that a large consignment of cash was being transported on the bus. Acting on this crucial information, the police set up a well-planned trap at the Palsit toll plaza, which proved effective in intercepting the vehicle and recovering the money.

The investigation is now focused on uncovering the origin and final destination of the cash. While the arrested individuals are being interrogated, the police have yet to determine where the money came from and to whom it was being delivered. The sheer amount of cash necessitated bringing in a money-counting machine to accurately tally the seizure.