Jabalpur-CSMT Garib Rath Express fake robbery case exposed, gold worth Rs 1.82 cr recovered

Mumbai: In a remarkable display of investigative excellence and technological expertise, the Railway Protection Force (RPF) of Bhusaval Division of the Central Railway has successfully solved a fabricated high-value robbery case involving gold ornaments worth Rs 1.82 crore.

The case, initially reported as a major robbery incident, was exposed as a meticulously planned fake robbery, with the entire property recovered within 72 hours and all accused apprehended.

The incident of robbery was reported on Train No 12187-Jabalpur- Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus Garib Rath Express on September 30 when Sagar Parekh lodged a complaint at GRP Station, CSMT.

Accordingly an FIR under Crime No - 082/25, Sections 3(5) and 309(6) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), alleging a robbery of 52 gold bangles and 35 gold rings weighing 1.5 kilograms, valued at Rs 1,82,00,000 was registered.

On verification, it was established that the place of occurrence fell within the jurisdiction of GRP Post Khandwa and it was accordingly transferred.

Accordingly, the case was re-registered on October 3 as Crime No - 219/2025 under the same sections by GRP Khandwa and assistance was requested from RPF Bhusaval.

A joint investigation team was constituted comprising officers from RPF Post Khandwa, the Crime Intelligence Branch, and RPF Bhusaval, officials of Mumbai-headquartered Central Railway said.

Making effective use of modern investigative tools such as CCTV footage analysis, digital tracking, mobile call data records (CDRs), and route mapping, the team carried out a comprehensive technical analysis of the incident.

The investigation revealed that the alleged robbery was entirely fabricated and had been orchestrated by the complainant himself in connivance with his associates to mislead authorities and claim false losses.

During interrogation, the accused confessed that they had deliberately injured themselves to lend credibility to their false narrative.

They admitted to having fabricated the incident and stated that the gold ornaments had been handed over to an accomplice named Praveen at Kalyan railway station.

Acting swiftly on this intelligence, the team called the said accomplice to RPF Post Khandwa, where he appeared with the entire robbed property on October 4.

The seized property comprised 52 gold bangles and 35 gold rings, collectively weighing 1.6 kg and valued at approximately Rs 1.82 crore, which was duly documented and seized.

The four accused arrested in the case are: Sagar Parekh (40), resident of Nashik, Maharashtra, and partner at R.B. Jewellers & Gold Ltd. LLP, Zaveri Bazaar, Mumbai, Sanjay Kumar (27), resident of Pali District, Rajasthan, presently residing at Mumbai, Praveen Kumar (35), resident of Sirohi District, Rajasthan, presently residing at Diva East, Thane; and

Rakesh Jain (53), resident of Malabar Hill, Mumbai.

All four have been arrested under Crime No. 219/2025, Sections 3(5) and 309(6) of the BNS, and are currently under investigation led by Inspector Prakash Chandra Sen of RPF Bhusawal Division.