Two customs officials, four others jailed in Rs 40 lakh cash loot case
The Statesman | 28 September 2025After receiving the complaint, Kanksha police launched an investigation and, within 24 hours, arrested six suspects, including two customs officials – Sandeep Jha and Motilal Biswas.
The two customs officials were arrested in the Durgapur area, while the other four accused – Suraj Pratap, Sandeep Pandey, Bikash Jaiswal and Pawan Kumar Shaw – were picked up from different locations in Kolkata.
All six were produced before the Durgapur Sub-Divisional Court, where their bail applications were rejected and they were remanded in judicial custody. Kanksha police will now conduct a test identification (TI) parade of the accused inside the correctional home.
According to the complaint, on 12 September six men intercepted an SUV travelling from Patna to Kolkata and, at gunpoint, hijacked the vehicle and looted Rs 40 lakh in cash after overpowering the two passengers.
The gang allegedly claimed to be customs officials and threatened the victims with dire consequences if they revealed the incident.
The victims managed to lodge an FIR on 25 September at Kanksha police station under the ADPC. The Commissionerate also directed the detective department (DD) to assist Kanksha police in the investigation.
Officers examined CCTV footage from both sides of the highway and also used mobile call-dump data to identify the gang. The arrest of two customs officials in connection with the highway robbery on NH-19 in West Burdwan district has created a major stir in the area.
