Elderly Trader Carrying ₹25 Lakh Cash in Bus Robbed by Fake CBI Officers in Akola

Two young men posed as CBI officers and cheated a 70-year-old businessman of ₹25 lakh in Maharashtra’s Akola district. The accused flashed a fake ID card made using Google to scare the trader into handing over his cash and mobile phone. Police, however, arrested both accused within 12 hours and recovered the entire amount.

A Warning That Sounded Too Real

“An investigation is underway against you, we are from the CBI.” If someone suddenly tells you this, flashes an identity card, and speaks with total authority, you might panic too. Something similar happened to a 70-year-old businessman in Akola, Maharashtra. But the “CBI officer” was not real, he was a conman.

The Bus Journey That Turned Into a Nightmare

The incident occurred between 4 PM and 5 PM on June 19. A 70-year-old trader from Khamgaon boarded a bus at Balapur bus stand. He runs a Pico call centre business. The trader was travelling on the Balapur route and carried close to ₹25 lakh in cash with him. A young man on the bus recognised him instantly he had earlier worked for the businessman and knew he sometimes carried large sums of money.

A Fake ID, A Convincing Act

That recognition triggered the entire scam. The accused created a fake CBI identification card with Google’s help. He approached the trader and claimed an illegal-transaction probe was underway against him. The allegations sounded so confident that the elderly businessman never suspected a thing. He was told to hand over his mobile phone and cash-filled bag for inspection and accompany them to the police station.

Two Accused, One Well-Planned Trap

A second accomplice joined in to make the act look genuine. Together, the duo created an atmosphere convincing enough for the trader to trust them completely. The moment he stepped off the bus, both accused grabbed the bag and mobile phone and vanished.

The Truth Sinks In

The businessman waited for a while, expecting a police vehicle to arrive. When nobody showed up, he realised he had not faced any CBI probe he had simply been robbed. He filed a complaint at Balapur police station, and officers recognised the seriousness of the case immediately. A loss of ₹25 lakh was no small matter.

Police Swing Into Action

Akola SP Archit Chandak formed a special team without delay. Police Inspector Nitin Levharkar led the investigation from the front. Officers followed the standard playbook for such cases they scanned CCTV footage. Around 50 camera feeds between Khamgaon and Balapur were examined closely. Technical analysis combined with informer tips helped police zero in on the suspects.

Arrests Within 12 Hours

Akola’s Local Crime Branch (LCB) arrested both accused from Khamgaon. They were identified as 22-year-old Hardik Manoj Kumar Gurbani and 25-year-old Sahil Nandkishor Nathani. Police recovered ₹25 lakh in cash, the victim’s mobile phone worth around ₹90,000, two motorcycles, and other items taking the total seizure to ₹27.5 lakh.

A New Question: Where Did the Cash Come From?

Police said the accused already knew the trader regularly carried large sums of cash, and the entire plan was built around that knowledge. Investigators have now raised another question where did the businessman’s ₹25 lakh in cash actually come from? Police confirmed they will write to the GST department for a separate inquiry into this aspect of the case.