Unidentified men posing as central tax officials intercepted a cash van in Bengaluru and allegedly fled with ₹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.

The initial probe has revealed that a group of armed men in a Toyota Innova intercepted the cash van around 1.30pm. The van was on its way to load money into the ATM of the HDFC branch at at JP Nagar.

According to the South Division police, the armed men approached the cash van staff, claiming they were from the central tax department and demanded to verify their documents.

“Before the private cash van staff could react, they were forced into the Innova along with (the container that had the) money. They then drove towards Dairy Circle, where they pushed the staff out of the vehicle and fled with the loot,” said a police officer.

The investigating team is on the lookout for a grey Innova. CCTV footage from Jayanagar, Dairy Circle and Bannerghatta Road is being analysed.