Bengaluru | Unidentified men posing as central government officials intercepted a cash van here and allegedly fled with about Rs 7 crore on Wednesday, police said.

The incident occurred near Ashoka Pillar when the vehicle was transporting cash from a bank branch in JP Nagar.

Preliminary investigation revealed that a group of men arrived in a car carrying a Government of India sticker and stopped the cash vehicle, claiming that they wanted to verify documents.

The suspects then forced the van's staff into their car along with cash. They allegedly drove towards Dairy Circle where they dropped the staff and sped away with the cash which is estimated to be about Rs seven crores, a senior police officer said.

CCTV footage is being examined to trace the route taken by the vehicle and identify those involved.

Later speaking to media, Bengaluru City Police Commissioner Seemanth Kumar Singh said the incident occurred this afternoon under the Siddapura police station limits. About Rs seven crore has been lost, but it is being verified, as the driver (of the cash van) has not shared the correct information.

"There is nakabandi in the entire city, we are making our efforts. We have formed various teams, our teams have spread out across the city. Our teams are physically on the ground, as well as in the control room under various technical wings. We will try to detect the case at the earliest. Two DCPs and a Joint Commissioners are working on the case."

Citing initial information, the officer said that the money was forcefully transferred into a vehicle from the CMS cash van and taken away.

To a question on the number of suspects involved, the Commissioner said, "we have no clear cut information as of now."

Asked if the cash vehicle security carry any arms, he said it needs to be verified as to how many security were there and what arms they carried.

"Information was not shared immediately, there was a delay... we are looking into all angles," he added.