India
Crime

UP Police Unearth Crores in Cash Buried Inside Plastic Drums in Prayagraj Raid

Uttar Pradesh Police uncovered three drums filled with crores in unaccounted cash buried beneath a house in Prayagraj following a tip-off.

Gaurav Sen
By Gaurav Sen
Senior Editorial Director & Lead Geopolitical Analyst
•2 min read•10 views
Share:
Law enforcement officers investigating the site of the cash recovery in Prayagraj.
Police secure the site in Prayagraj where three drums containing crores in cash were excavated from beneath a residential floor.

Prayagraj Cash Seizure Unveils Elaborate Concealment

Law enforcement authorities in Uttar Pradesh have made a staggering recovery, unearthing three large drums packed with bundles of currency notes buried deep beneath the soil of a residential house. The operation took place in Baraipur village, located within the Nawabganj police station area of the Ganganagar zone, roughly 45 kilometres from Prayagraj.

The raid was executed by a joint team from the Nawabganj and Soraon police stations, operating under the direct supervision of senior zonal officials. According to investigators, the property belongs to two brothers, Rakesh Yadav and Rajesh Yadav, whose sudden and unexplained accumulation of wealth drew the scrutiny of both neighbors and law enforcement.

Rapid Wealth Transformation Raises Alarms

Preliminary inquiries by Daily News 365 reveal that the brothers had previously been employed in Pune before abruptly returning to their native village during the nationwide Covid-19 pandemic lockdown in 2020. Despite hailing from a modest background, the duo underwent an extraordinary financial transformation over the following years.

Villagers reported that the brothers began acquiring extensive tracts of land in and around the village, purchasing heavy agricultural machinery including a tractor, and displaying lavish spending habits. While locals whispered about the sudden prosperity, the true nature of their earnings remained hidden until a recent local dispute prompted a formal whistleblower complaint alleging the accumulation of illicit funds.

Precision Raid and Discovery

Acting on the tip-off, police initially conducted a routine search of the premises without immediate results. However, a closer inspection of a room's flooring revealed signs of recently disturbed soil. Bringing in manual labor to excavate the area, officers struck three deeply buried plastic drums.

Upon cutting open the thick layers of black plastic sheeting sealing the containers, authorities discovered extensive bundles of 500-rupee notes. Ganganagar Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Sonam Kumar confirmed that the volume of recovered currency is exceptionally large, requiring a formal, systematic count to determine the exact total.

Investigation Widens to Federal Agencies

Authorities have sealed the property and taken at least one family member into custody for interrogation. Investigators noted that the detained suspect has repeatedly provided evasive and contradictory statements regarding the origin of the funds.

In response to the massive recovery, the local police have formally notified the Income Tax Department and specialized financial investigative agencies. A comprehensive forensic and financial audit is expected to commence immediately upon the arrival of federal investigators to trace the source and trajectory of the concealed wealth.

Gaurav Sen

About Gaurav Sen

Senior Editorial Director & Lead Geopolitical Analyst

Senior Editorial Director and investigative correspondent covering national affairs, international relations, defense, and economic policy for Daily News 365.

@gauravsen_newsgaurav.sen@globalnews365.com