Ahmedabad police have arrested two Delhi-based men for allegedly cheating a passenger at Kalupur railway station after luring him with a story of financial distress and displaying bundles of fake currency, according to a report by Sandesh. The passenger allegedly lost a gold chain, mobile phone and ₹77,000 transferred online.
The incident involved Jayprakash Tiwari, who had travelled to Ahmedabad for work and was waiting at Kalupur station on 7 September to return to Maharashtra. According to the report, a man who identified himself as Rajesh Yadav approached Tiwari and claimed that an employer had assaulted him and withheld his salary. He allegedly said he had ₹2 lakh with him but did not have money even for tea.
After Tiwari offered to buy him tea, another man reportedly joined them. The two men allegedly took Tiwari to a tea stall. Tiwari later complained that his head began to feel heavy after drinking the tea. The suspects then allegedly took his gold chain and mobile phone and made him transfer ₹77,000 online before fleeing the station.
Tiwari subsequently approached the Kalupur police station and filed a complaint. Police began investigating the case using CCTV footage and other technical evidence, the report said. The investigation led to the arrest of Tanvir Ansari and Sanjay Sharma, both identified as residents of Delhi.
Police allegedly recovered two mobile phones and ₹1 lakh in cash from Ansari. A further ₹4,800 was reportedly recovered from Sharma. The investigation also indicated that both men had previously been involved in offences such as pickpocketing in Delhi, according to the police findings cited by Sandesh.
The alleged method involved identifying passengers who appeared vulnerable or were waiting alone at the railway station. The suspects would reportedly claim to possess a large amount of money, display bundles presented as currency and use a personal hardship story to gain the passenger’s trust. They would then allegedly persuade the target to provide money or make an online transfer before leaving the station.
Police suspect that the alleged offences were linked to the accused men’s online gaming habit and financial losses incurred through gaming or gambling. The investigation is continuing to establish whether the two men targeted other passengers using the same method and whether additional people were involved in the alleged operation.
The case places attention on the risks faced by passengers approached by strangers inside busy railway stations, particularly through emotional appeals involving emergency money, employment disputes or travel difficulties. The police investigation will determine the full scale of the alleged activity and whether further arrests follow.
