Bullion trader's accountant caught with gold, Rs 90 lakh cash let off

Nagpur: The accountant of a bullion trader caught with gold biscuits worth two crore rupees was also carrying Rs 90 lakh in cash. There is talk of the case having been settled using part of this amount. The police department has been in turmoil since Prime Time 24 exposed the case, with officials worried about action once the truth comes out.

The incident took place on the night of September 17. In Itwari's bullion market, the accountant of trader Dattu, after closing the shop, was carrying a bag with two kilograms of gold biscuits and Rs 90 lakh in cash on a two-wheeler to a locker nearby. A police team lying in wait caught the accountant and took him to the tehsil police station.

There, suspecting the case to be one of hawala, police said they would call in the central economic investigation agency. Sensing the danger of the gold biscuits and cash being seized, Dattu contacted office-bearers of the bullion market. After their efforts, the gold and cash were released.

The matter was kept extremely confidential and no one got to know of it until Prime Time's expose caused an uproar in the police department. According to sources, since the bag contained cash, the police team did not take long to settle the matter. A trader from the same bullion market is suspected of having tipped off the police, allegedly over business rivalry.

Following this case, hawala operators in Itwari have also turned cautious. Police have advised them to exercise restraint for a few days. With the festive season underway, the hawala business has picked up pace.