Reported by Mrinal Banik
Agartala: A whopping sum of Rs 1.68 crore in cash was seized from two passengers at Maharaja Bir Bikram (MBB) Airport on Thursday. Shortly after the seizure, a joint investigation involving multiple agencies was launched, officials said.
The cash was seized by the Special Branch of Tripura Police during a routine security check at the airport, they said.
The two passengers were identified as Dattatraya Thakram Virkar (36) and Sajal Sachin Devkar (21), both residents of Maharashtra. Officials said Rs 1,68,27,000 was recovered from their luggage during the inspection.
Following the seizure, the two men and the recovered cash were handed over to officials of the Income Tax Department and Customs for further investigation, police sources said.
Preliminary investigations suggest the involvement of a larger cash transportation racket operating across states, sources said.
Officials associated with the investigation found that the two accused had travelled several times between Maharashtra and Agartala since the beginning of June.
According to officials, they allegedly arrived in Agartala carrying luggage, handed it over to designated individuals, and returned to Maharashtra on the same day.
The probe has also revealed that the two men were allegedly unaware of the passwords to the luggage they were carrying.
Investigators suspect the passwords were exchanged directly between the sender and the intended recipient, indicating that the accused may have been acting only as couriers.
Officials further said that the two passengers were allegedly provided with new mobile phones for each trip. Investigators believe the practice may have been adopted to avoid surveillance and eliminate digital trails.
The Income Tax Department, Customs authorities, and other investigating agencies are jointly examining the source, destination, and intended use of the seized cash, officials said.