Key Points
A gang disguised as RBI officials blocked a cash-van near Ashoka Pillar in Jayanagar and stole ₹7.11 crore in broad daylight.
The van belonged to CMS Info Systems and was moving cash from an HDFC Bank branch to ATMs.
The heist involved extensive planning, costumes, and a fake license plate. The case is being investigated by eight teams.
In one of the most audacious daylight robberies in Bengaluru’s recent history, a group of men posing as officials from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) executed a precision heist on a cash-van belonging to CMS Info Systems. The robbery unfolded between approximately 12:30pm and 1:00pm on Wednesday, 19 November 2025, near Ashoka Pillar, Jayanagar.
According to the police complaint filed by CMS, the van was transporting three cash boxes containing ₹7.11 crore from an HDFC Bank branch in JP Nagar. The driver and two armed guards were inside the vehicle when the gang struck.
Three men riding in a hatchback and an MUV blocked the van. They claimed they were RBI officials investigating a regulatory complaint. The van staff were asked to step aside and meet them at the police station to record their statements. The van driver was told to proceed alone while the rest were bundled into the gang’s vehicle. Moments later, on the Dairy Circle flyover, the cash boxes were unloaded and placed in a separate hatchback at gunpoint. The thieves sped off, leaving the van and staff behind.
Bengaluru City Police Commissioner Seemanth Kumar Singh said the delay by the van staff in reporting the incident had hampered early leads. Eight special investigation teams, led by two deputy commissioners and a joint commissioner, have been formed. Over fifty CCTV cameras in the area are being examined. The stolen van’s DVR recording was removed, suggesting pre-planning.
A witness corroborated the sequence of events.
One of the vehicles used featured a Government of India sticker and its licence plate was traced to a sedan in Kalyan Nagar, Bangalore. The plate was found to be fake. Investigators are now examining CMS personnel, cash-route staff and logistics to check for insider collusion. A senior security adviser at CMS said that he does not suspect any of his staff.
Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah has confirmed that the MUV used in the vehicle has been recovered, while Home Minister G Parameshwara revealed that the getaway vehicle is yet to be identified. “It was verified that they changed vehicles and moved the money,” Parameshwara said.
The heist has sparked deep concern about the protection of currency movement in urban areas. Police have placed city exit points, highways and toll-plazas on high alert. Opposition parties in Karnataka have criticised the state government’s handling of law and order, calling the incident a sign of systemic breakdown.
Investigators believe the gang likely planned the heist over days, gathering details of the cash transfer schedule, van identity and route. The choice of a flyover with limited CCTV surveillance further indicates meticulous planning. The fact that the robbers used RBI impersonation suggests they had access to external uniforms, credentials or at least the knowledge to bluff authority.
The police are tracking vehicle movement data and call records of van staff and suspects. Border checks have been intensified around Bengaluru and neighbouring states. CMS has begun an internal audit of van operations, guard procedures and communication protocols. [Rh]
Suggested Reading: