West Bengal

IIE DIGITAL DESK ; Howrah, October 2: The Railway Protection Force (RPF) has recovered a large amount of cash from a passenger at Howrah station, with Rs 44 lakh found inside his bag. The passenger, who had travelled from Madhya Pradesh on the Shipra Express, was detained after he failed to produce valid documents or evidence to establish the legitimate source of the huge amount of money. He was subsequently handed over to officials of the Income Tax Department for further investigation.

According to a statement issued by the RPF on Friday, the incident took place on Thursday when the down Shipra Express arrived at platform number 17 of Howrah station. RPF personnel on duty became suspicious after noticing the movements of a passenger identified as Rohit Singh, who had boarded the train from Vidisha in Madhya Pradesh.

RPF personnel stopped Rohit Singh and questioned him about his movements and belongings. During the subsequent search of his bag, officers found several bundles of cash. The money was counted in the presence of the officials and the total amount was found to be Rs 44 lakh.

According to RPF sources, during the initial questioning, Rohit Singh claimed that he had travelled to Kolkata with the money to purchase gold. However, he was unable to produce any documents to support his claim or establish the legitimate source of the cash. Following this, the RPF seized the entire amount and informed the Income Tax Department about the recovery.

Income Tax officials subsequently reached Howrah station and took custody of both the recovered cash and the passenger. The officials are now examining the source of the money and the circumstances under which such a large amount of cash was being transported by train. Investigators are also looking into whether the cash has any connection with a hawala network or an interstate illegal financial operation.

The recovery has once again brought attention to the increasing instances of large cash seizures at Howrah station. Railway authorities have stepped up security and surveillance in and around the station following a series of such incidents over the past few days.

This is not the first major cash recovery reported from Howrah station in recent times. It is reportedly the third significant seizure within a short period. In the final week of September, the RPF detained a man identified as Sujit Kale, a resident of Maharashtra, and recovered around Rs 67 lakh in cash from his possession.

A few days later, another passenger travelling on a Vande Bharat Express was detained at the old complex of Howrah station. Officials reportedly recovered Rs 21 lakh in cash along with gold from his possession.

The repeated recovery of large quantities of cash has prompted security agencies to increase surveillance at one of eastern India’s busiest railway terminals. RPF personnel are maintaining closer watch on passengers and their luggage, particularly when there are indications of suspicious activity.

The latest Rs 44 lakh seizure is now being investigated by the Income Tax Department, which will determine the source and intended use of the money. Further details are expected to emerge as officials examine the passenger’s statements, documents and financial records and investigate whether the cash is linked to any larger interstate financial network.