Karnataka's Rs 400 Crore 'Money Heist' Surfaces After 3 Months; Kidnapping Triggers Probe

• A massive alleged money heist of Rs 400 crore, involving two container trucks carrying withdrawn Rs 2000 notes, surfaced three months after it reportedly occurred between Karnataka, Goa, and Maharashtra borders in October 2025.
• The incident came to light after Sandeep Patil, a Nashik real estate agent, filed a kidnapping complaint on January 1, 2026, alleging he was abducted and assaulted for the missing cash.
• Patil claimed the cash was being transported from Goa to an Ahmedabad ashram to exchange withdrawn Rs 2000 notes for smaller legal tender on commission.
• Maharashtra police arrested six individuals, including Jayesh Kadam, Vishal Naidu, and Virat Gandhi, in connection with the kidnapping; Thane builder Kishore Savla is a key absconding suspect.
• Police across three states are investigating, but Belagavi SP K Ramarajan notes no independent evidence like CCTV footage confirms the containers passed through Karnataka; the actual existence of the Rs 400 crore is still under verification.

Why It Matters: A multi-state investigation is underway into an alleged Rs 400 crore money heist, triggered by a kidnapping.