A woman who had travelled from Kawardha to Raipur to collect compensation following her son's death allegedly lost ₹1.60 lakh in cash shortly after withdrawing the money from a Punjab National Bank branch located on the Raipur court premises.

The woman, identified as Mamta Tiwari, told police that she discovered the money missing from her purse after travelling through the city in an e-rickshaw and an auto-rickshaw.

The Civil Lines police have registered a case against an unidentified person and started investigating the suspected theft.

Money Withdrawn From Court Premises Bank

According to the police complaint, Tiwari, a resident of Maharajpur village in Kawardha district, works in the Health Department.

She had travelled to Raipur with her husband, Khedan Tiwari, on September 10 in connection with compensation related to the accidental death of their son.

After completing the court-related work, she withdrew ₹1.60 lakh in cash from the Punjab National Bank branch located within the court premises.

The cash was reportedly kept inside her purse.

Woman Changed Two Vehicles on Way to Bhanpuri

After withdrawing the money, Tiwari and her husband reached the Chhattisgarh Mahatari statue near the city's multi-level parking area at around 4 pm.

From there, they travelled by e-rickshaw to Fafadih Chowk. They then changed vehicles and boarded another auto-rickshaw towards Bhanpuri Chowk.

It was after reaching Bhanpuri that Tiwari checked her purse and allegedly found that the entire ₹1.60 lakh was missing.

She informed her husband and advocate Niranjan Sahu about the missing cash.

Police Suspect Theft During Journey

Tiwari reportedly told police that she suspected someone may have taken the cash from her purse while she was travelling in one of the vehicles.

At this stage, police have not identified the person responsible for the alleged theft.

Investigators are examining whether the cash was stolen inside an auto-rickshaw or at another point along the route.

CCTV Footage Under Scanner

Civil Lines police are examining CCTV footage from the Punjab National Bank branch and the route from the court area through Fafadih to Bhanpuri.

Police are also expected to question the drivers of both vehicles used by the woman and her husband.

Investigators are checking the footage for anyone who may have been following the woman after she withdrew the cash.

The possibility that someone noticed the large cash withdrawal and followed her is also being examined, although police have not confirmed this theory.

Investigation Underway

The incident has prompted investigators to reconstruct the woman's movements from the time she left the bank until she noticed the missing money.

Police are collecting CCTV footage and other information that could help identify the suspect.

For now, the case remains under investigation and the identity of the alleged thief has not been established.

The incident also highlights the risk involved in carrying substantial amounts of cash after withdrawing money from a bank, particularly when travelling through crowded public transport and changing vehicles.

Fraud Case in Raipur has raised fresh concerns over employee verification and internal cash handling after a driver allegedly fled with Rs 50 lakh in cash and a vehicle belonging to a city-based construction businessman in the state capital.

Cash Vanishes Midway

A major Fraud Case has surfaced in Raipur after a driver allegedly decamped with Rs 50 lakh in cash and a car entrusted to him by his employer. The incident took place in the Khamhardih police station area, where the accused reportedly used deception to escape with the money in broad daylight.

Police said the accused, identified as Krishna Sahu, had been working as a driver for a city-based businessman for nearly a year. During this period, he had gained the trust of the employer before allegedly carrying out the theft.

Businessman Files Complaint

According to officials, the complainant is Umesh Prasad, a construction businessman residing in Geetanjali Nagar in Raipur. He had reportedly handed over Rs 50 lakh in cash to his accountant and driver, asking them to transport the amount safely to his residence.

The cash was placed inside a car bearing registration number CG 04 QG 663. The accountant and driver then left for Geetanjali Nagar as instructed. What appeared to be a routine movement of funds soon turned into a major criminal case.

Escape Near Police Station

As per the complaint, the incident unfolded near a paan kiosk located a short distance from Khamhardih police station. Police sources indicated that the accused driver asked the accountant to step out of the vehicle and buy gutkha from the nearby stall.

The moment the accountant got out, the driver allegedly started the vehicle and sped away with both the cash and the car. The accountant was caught off guard and could not react in time. He immediately informed the businessman about the incident.

Driver Under Scanner

The accused has been identified as Krishna Sahu, a resident of Bhatagaon. Investigators said he had been employed by the businessman for the past year and had earned the confidence of the family through regular service.

Officials suspect the accused may have planned the act in advance, given the speed and precision with which he executed the escape. His mobile phone has remained switched off since the incident, making immediate tracking difficult.

Police Begin Probe

Following the complaint, a case was registered at Khamhardih police station through the businessman’s relative, Akhilesh Prasad. Police have booked the accused under sections related to criminal breach of trust and cheating.

Station House Officer Mansi Nanabhai Sakure said police teams were actively searching for the accused and efforts were underway to trace both the vehicle and the missing cash. According to officials, multiple teams have been deployed for field verification.

CCTV Footage Examined

Police have started scanning CCTV footage from roads and intersections across Raipur to reconstruct the accused’s movement after the escape. Surveillance footage from the area near the paan kiosk is also being examined to establish the exact sequence of events.

Investigators are expected to review toll routes, fuel stations and city exit points as part of the search operation. Sources indicated that digital and physical surveillance inputs are being used to narrow down the accused’s likely route.