Hyderabad Police Apprehend Cash Van Driver in Rs 9.63 Lakh Heist

Hyderabad city police have arrested a cash van operator accused of absconding with Rs 9.63 lakh earmarked for bank deposit, completing the investigation within two days of the incident.

The suspect, identified as Shaik Rahman, 46, a resident of Bowenpally, allegedly made off with two money bags after abandoning the vehicle near King Koti on May 19. The incident unfolded while cash custodians were conducting deposit operations at the State Bank of India branch located on Bank Street in Koti.

According to police records, the cash collection team—comprising complainant Gaddam Mallesh, a cash custodian, an armed gunman, and the driver—commenced their duties around 9 am that morning. After gathering funds from various commercial establishments, they arrived at the SBI branch approximately 2.20 pm to deposit the collected amount.

The custodians carried a portion of the collected cash into the bank premises, leaving Rs 19 lakh in five bags within the vehicle. During this interval, the gunman stepped away momentarily to access the washroom facilities. Seizing this opportunity, the driver allegedly drove away with the transit vehicle and its contents.

Police later discovered the abandoned vehicle near the District Hospital at King Koti. Upon accessing the vehicle using a duplicate key, officials confirmed that two money bags had been removed. The first bag contained Rs 5.88 lakh, while the second held Rs 3.75 lakh.

Investigators deployed technical surveillance methods to track the accused's movements. A specialized team from Sultan Bazar Police Station located him in Kalaburagi, Karnataka. On May 21, officers apprehended Rahman from a guest house adjacent to the city bus terminal. The operation resulted in the recovery of Rs 9.53 lakh in cash, along with a mobile phone, a travel bag, and the vehicle key.

The arrest was executed by Sultan Bazar Station House Officer G. Naresh, with assistance from Sub-Inspector D. Venu and constables C. Sandeep and K. Abhilash. The investigation remained under the supervision of the Sultan Bazar Division's Assistant Commissioner of Police.