Bengaluru cybercrime cop caught hiding ₹11 lakh cash under cot at home sparks scandal: Report

A cybercrime constable's hidden stash of ₹11 lakh beneath his cot has led to a major scandal.

A major embarrassment has hit the city’s Cybercrime Police Station (CCPS) after one of its own officers was found hiding a suspect’s cash-filled bag at home. The constable allegedly stowed away ₹11 lakh in cash, tucked neatly beneath a cot in his bedroom as if it were his personal treasure chest.

Bengaluru City Police Commissioner Seemant Kumar Singh and other senior officials in Bengaluru. (PTI)

The officer at the centre of the controversy is 48-year-old head constable Zabiulla I Gudiyal, said a report by The Times of India. The incident dates back to two weeks ago, when a CCPS team, including Zabiulla, tracked a cyber fraud suspect to Devanahalli. The suspect managed to flee on foot after abandoning his car, unaware that the items he left behind would spark a scandal.

Inside the vehicle’s boot lay a bag loaded with cash and valuables. Zabiulla allegedly spotted it, kept quiet, and discreetly transported the bag back to his home without informing his team, said the report.

The officers returned to the station, reporting only that the suspect had escaped. The existence of the bag, and its contents, never made it into their briefing.

The situation took a dramatic turn after the suspect secured anticipatory bail and came back to retrieve his car. When he opened the boot, the bag containing ₹11 lakh, a laptop, a phone, and sunglasses had mysteriously vanished.

He immediately alerted senior officials about his missing belongings.

An internal check on who last handled the vehicle quickly led investigators to Zabiulla. Deputy commissioner of police (Crime) P Raja Imam Kasim interrogated the constable, who eventually admitted to taking the bag home. A raid on his residence soon followed, and the hidden bag was recovered with all items untouched, the report stated.

Zabiulla reportedly told his superiors that he “forgot” about the bag after taking it home. When asked why he failed to inform his colleagues in the first place, he gave no convincing answer, only claiming that “other work” distracted him.

Neither his explanation nor his apology satisfied senior officers, or the complainant. Zabiulla now faces internal disciplinary proceedings and is expected to be suspended.

HT.com has not independently verified the authenticity of this information.