₹1.40 crore seized at Kharagpur station; one arrested in West Bengal
Synopsis
₹1.40 crore in cash — packed into 280 bundles of ₹500 notes — was seized at Kharagpur station after GRP personnel spotted a passenger acting suspiciously on platform seven. The arrest of Rahul Soni comes on the same day Diamond Harbour Police reportedly recovered over ₹1 crore from a TMC party office, putting the spotlight on a recurring pattern of large unaccounted cash movements across West Bengal.
Key Takeaways
₹1.40 crore in cash was seized by the Government Railway Police (GRP) at Kharagpur station , West Bengal, on 4 November 2026 .
The cash — 280 bundles of ₹500 notes — was being transported from Tatanagar, Jharkhand to Howrah, West Bengal on the Jan Shatabdi Express .
The arrested passenger, Rahul Soni , attempted to flee when approached by GRP personnel and failed to explain the source of the funds.
The Income Tax Department has been informed; SP Jayanta Mukherjee confirmed interrogation is ongoing.
On the same day, Diamond Harbour Police separately recovered over ₹1 crore from a TMC party office in Sarisha, South 24 Parganas — no link between the two cases has been established.
₹1.40 crore in cash was seized by the Government Railway Police (GRP) at Kharagpur railway station in West Midnapore district, West Bengal, on Wednesday, 4 November 2026, after personnel grew suspicious of a passenger's behaviour. One person has been arrested in connection with the recovery.
How the cash was detected
The arrested individual, identified as Rahul Soni, was travelling aboard the Jan Shatabdi Express from Tatanagar in Jharkhand to Howrah in West Bengal. When the train halted at Kharagpur station, GRP personnel on duty noticed his movements on platform number seven, where he was spotted carrying one bag on his back and two bags in his hands.
As officers approached him, Soni reportedly attempted to flee but was apprehended. During subsequent questioning, he gave incoherent answers, further arousing suspicion. A search of his bags revealed 280 bundles of ₹500 notes, adding up to ₹1.40 crore.
Arrest and interrogation
Soni failed to provide a satisfactory explanation for the origin of the cash. The Kharagpur GRP detained him, alerted the Income Tax Department, and subsequently placed him under formal arrest. According to officials, his permanent residence is in Howrah.
Superintendent of Railway Police (Kharagpur) Jayanta Mukherjee confirmed that the passenger is being interrogated to establish the source of the funds. While Soni admitted during questioning that he was transporting the money from Tatanagar to Howrah, he has not disclosed who gave him the money or for what purpose, according to officials.
A pattern of unaccounted cash seizures
This is not an isolated incident. Cash recoveries from the Howrah station premises and surrounding areas have been reported periodically, with several individuals previously caught for failing to account for the source of large sums. This latest seizure, however, stands out for its scale — over ₹1 crore recovered from a single individual at a station.
Notably, the Kharagpur seizure came shortly after Diamond Harbour Police reportedly recovered more than ₹1 crore from a Trinamool Congress (TMC) party office in Sarisha, South 24 Parganas district. The timing of the two incidents has drawn attention, though no connection between the two cases has been established.
What happens next
Investigators are working to trace the source and intended destination of the seized funds. The Income Tax Department has been looped in and is expected to pursue a parallel inquiry into potential tax violations. The outcome of the interrogation is likely to determine whether further arrests follow.
Point of View
Another from a political party office — are unlikely to be coincidental in timing even if unrelated in origin. West Bengal has seen a steady drip of such seizures, but the state's political environment makes each fresh recovery politically charged well before investigators establish any facts. The real story here is systemic: the GRP's interception was triggered by behavioural observation alone, with no tip-off, suggesting the volume of unaccounted cash in circulation is high enough to be noticeable even to routine patrol. Without a completed Income Tax inquiry and a credible public outcome, these seizures risk becoming headline events that produce no durable accountability.
NationPress
4 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
How much cash was seized at Kharagpur station and who was arrested?
₹1.40 crore in cash was seized at Kharagpur railway station in West Midnapore district, West Bengal, on 4 November 2026. The arrested individual is Rahul Soni, a resident of Howrah, who was transporting the money from Tatanagar to Howrah on the Jan Shatabdi Express.
How did the Government Railway Police detect the cash?
GRP personnel at Kharagpur station grew suspicious after observing Rahul Soni's movements on platform number seven, where he was carrying three bags. When officers approached him, he attempted to escape; after his capture, incoherent answers to questioning led to a bag search that uncovered 280 bundles of ₹500 notes.
What is the source of the seized money?
The source has not been established. Soni admitted during interrogation that he was bringing the cash from Tatanagar, but could not say who had given it to him or for what purpose, according to officials. The Income Tax Department has been notified and an inquiry is underway.
Is there a connection to the TMC office cash recovery in South 24 Parganas?
No link has been established between the two seizures. On the same day, Diamond Harbour Police separately recovered more than ₹1 crore from a Trinamool Congress party office in Sarisha, South 24 Parganas — but the two cases are being investigated independently.
What happens next in the Kharagpur cash seizure case?
Rahul Soni remains in custody and is being interrogated by the Kharagpur GRP. The Income Tax Department is conducting a parallel inquiry to determine whether the funds represent undeclared income. Further arrests may follow depending on the outcome of the investigation.
