₹400 crore heist that never happened: Probe exposes fake kidnap complaint in Maharashtra

Nashik: A truck driver’s sensational claim that he was kidnapped and assaulted over the alleged theft of ₹400 crore from a cash-laden vehicle has been found to be false, Nashik Rural Police said on Monday after a detailed investigation.

All seven persons earlier arrested in connection with the case have been released by the Igatpuri court, and police are now considering action against the complainant for filing a fake case, an official said.

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The probe was launched after driver Sandeep Patil told Ghoti police that he was waylaid, kidnapped and beaten up on October 22 last year by seven men who accused him of looting a truck carrying ₹400 crore in discontinued ₹2,000 notes.

Patil had claimed the assault took place in the Chorla Ghat area of Belagavi district in neighbouring Karnataka and that the attackers fled soon after, prompting alerts to Karnataka police.

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“He claimed the truck was transporting hawala money from Karnataka to Maharashtra. He had also uploaded videos on social media detailing his ordeal. We arrested seven persons for assaulting Patil. However, a probe about the truck threw up gaps in Patil's story, including route, call records, timing, etc.,” the official said.

The Igatpuri court has since released all seven accused, and Nashik Rural Police are “contemplating the next step” regarding the false complaint, the official added.