28 August,2026 10:26 AM IST | Thane | mid-day online correspondent
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Unidentified men posing as crime branch officials allegedly intercepted a courier vehicle in Maharashtra's Thane district, assaulted its occupants and robbed them of Rs 61.5 lakh in cash, police said on Friday.
The robbery took place in the early hours of August 24 when the vehicle was transporting cash from Gwalior to Mumbai.
Police have launched an investigation to identify and arrest the accused, who allegedly used the identity of crime branch officers to gain control of the vehicle and its occupants before carrying out the robbery.
According to police, the complainant, who works as a driver for a courier firm, was transporting Rs 1 crore in cash from Gwalior to Mumbai along with a co-driver.
The two men were resting inside their jeep when three unidentified men approached the vehicle and knocked on its windows, an official said.
The men allegedly forced their way into the vehicle and took away the drivers' mobile phones.
Police said the accused introduced themselves as crime branch officials and instructed the two occupants to drive towards a police station.
According to the First Information Report, the men instead allegedly diverted the vehicle in the direction of Nashik after taking control of the situation.
The accused allegedly questioned the drivers about the location of the cash and repeatedly slapped them while demanding information about where the money had been kept.
After travelling around 10 to 12 kilometres, the group turned the vehicle back towards Mumbai, police said.
The accused then allegedly stopped near a closed hotel, where two more people arrived.
Police said the five accused allegedly removed Rs 61.5 lakh in cash from the vehicle before fleeing from the spot.
The exact circumstances surrounding the transportation of the Rs 1 crore in cash and the security arrangements for the consignment are expected to be examined as part of the investigation.
The police are also trying to determine whether the accused had prior information about the cash being transported and the route taken by the courier vehicle.
A case has been registered under Section 310(2), relating to dacoity, and other relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the official said.
Investigators are working to trace the five men involved in the alleged robbery and recover the stolen cash.
Police are also expected to examine possible CCTV footage from locations along the route and gather other evidence to establish the movements of the accused before and after the incident.
No arrests had been reported in the case at the time the police provided the information. Further investigation is underway.
(With inputs from PTI)
