Over ₹3.2 Crore Cash Recovered from Underground Drums in Prayagraj; Century-Old Silver Coins Unearthed in Mandsaur

Authorities in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh have uncovered substantial caches of hidden wealth in two separate incidents involving residential excavations. In Prayagraj, Income Tax officials recovered over ₹3.2 crore in cash buried underground in plastic drums, while police in Mandsaur seized British-era silver coins unearthed during foundation work for a house.

Income Tax Raids Yield ₹3.20 Crore Buried in Plastic Drums (Prayagraj, UP)

In Baraipur Ramnagar village, located within the Nawabganj police station limits of Prayagraj’s Ganganagar zone, Income Tax authorities concluded the counting of currency notes retrieved from three large blue plastic containers buried beneath a residential property.

• Total Seizure: The finalized count stands at ₹3,20,93,000 (three crore, twenty lakh, ninety-three thousand rupees).
• Ongoing Excavation: Suspecting that more unaccounted assets might be concealed on the premises, tax officials have engaged laborers to dig up additional rooms and the central courtyard.
• Investigation & Surveillance: Closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras have been installed inside and around the property to record the entire operation.
• Questioning: Local residents Rajesh Yadav and Rakesh Yadav are being questioned by investigators to determine the origin of the funds, the channels through which they were accumulated, and the rationale behind concealing the cash underground.

Over 100-Year-Old Silver Coins Discovered During House Foundation Work (Mandsaur, MP)

In a separate development in Madhya Pradesh, an excavation for a new home foundation in Barkhedi village, under the Bhanpura police jurisdiction of Mandsaur district, led to the discovery of a historic cache of silver coins dating back over a century.

• The Discovery: During foundation digging, more than 700 silver coins bearing markings from around 1904—dating back to the British colonial era—were unearthed.
• Concealment and Dispute: The homeowner, construction laborers, and several associates initially divided the treasure amongst themselves and attempted to keep the discovery quiet. However, internal disagreements over the division of the coins led to a tip-off reaching local authorities via the village watchman (Gram Chowkidar).
• Police Action & Seizures: Bhanpura police registered an official case against property owner Premsingh Bhati, laborer Jeetmal Bairagi, and two minors. To date, law enforcement has recovered:
  • 144 historic silver coins (each estimated to hold an intrinsic bullion and antique value of roughly ₹4,000)
  • ₹2,38,000 in cash derived from partial transactions
• Archaeological Assessment: Police investigations are underway to trace the remaining coins distributed among local handlers, while archaeological authorities assess the historical and market value of the recovery.