CHENNAI: A special police team arrested two men on a private bus and seized Rs 4.42 crore hawala money at the Athur tollgate on Monday night.

According to a Daily Thanthi report, based on a tip-off received by the Chengalpattu police control room, hawala money was being transported on a private bus from Mannadi to Paramakudi.

A police team from Acharapakkam intercepted the bus at the Athur tollgate around 11 pm.

On conducting a thorough inspection, they found Rs 3.92 crore hawala cash in three bags in possession of a man named Ganesan from Madurai.

On enquiry, he stated that the money belonged to a businessman named Saravanan from Karaikudi.

Similarly, the police also seized a bag containing Rs 50 lakh from a person named Ambrose from MP Street in Triplicane. He confessed that the money belonged to one Kadhar Bani from Ramanathapuram.

Following this, the police seized Rs 4.42 crore, and the two men were taken into custody by the Income Tax Department for further investigation.