Toyota to Build 2,800-Job Plant in Aurangabad as Resident Faces ISI Funding Charges
Toyota Kirloskar Motor has selected Aurangabad's Bidkin Industrial Area for a new vehicle manufacturing plant set to create around 2,800 jobs when production begins in 2029. In a separate development, the Rajasthan Police's CID (Intelligence) branch has arrested a resident of Harsul in Aurangabad district on charges of channeling funds to individuals accused of passing Indian Army secrets to Pakistan's ISI.
🏢 Toyota Kirloskar Motor to Build New 1-Lakh-Unit Plant at Bidkin Industrial Area
Toyota Kirloskar Motor has announced plans to establish a new vehicle manufacturing facility at the Bidkin Industrial Area in Aurangabad, Maharashtra. The plant is expected to commence production in the first half of 2029 with an initial annual capacity of 1 lakh vehicles. At the outset of operations, the factory is projected to employ approximately 2,800 people. Manufacturing processes planned for the site include stamping, welding, painting, and final assembly. The first model to roll off the new line will be a new SUV, though Toyota has not yet revealed details about the specific vehicle. The announcement extends Toyota's manufacturing presence in India significantly beyond its current footprint. The company currently operates two plants at Bidadi in Karnataka: the first, running since 1999, produces the Innova Hycross, Innova Crysta, Fortuner, and Legender at an installed capacity of 132,000 units per year; the second, operational since 2010, manufactures the Camry, Urban Cruiser Hyryder, and Hilux at 210,000 units per year. Combined capacity across both existing Karnataka plants stands at 3.42 lakh vehicles annually. Toyota has stated the Aurangabad facility is aimed at strengthening its long-term Indian operations and supporting exports to neighboring regions. [8]
Aurangabad Man Arrested for Allegedly Funneling ISI Funds to Espionage Suspects
The CID (Intelligence) branch of the Rajasthan Police has arrested Rafiq Chand Sheikh, 41, a resident of Harsul in Maharashtra's Aurangabad district, for allegedly acting as a financial middleman for Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence. Additional Director General of Police (Intelligence) Prafulla Kumar said the arrest had uncovered what he described as a significant network of anti-national activities. The underlying case was registered by the Rajasthan CID in January 2026 under the Official Secrets Act, 1923. Two individuals arrested earlier in the same probe — Jhabra Ram, a resident of Jaisalmer, and Sumit Kumar, a multi-tasking staff member posted at Dibrugarh Air Force Station in Assam — face charges of transmitting confidential information about the Indian Army to ISI handlers. Investigators established that the ISI routed money for espionage services through Sheikh, who then passed the payments to the two primary accused. Inquiries further revealed that Sheikh, son of Chand Mian Sheikh, had maintained contact with an ISI handler for approximately four years before his arrest. The case marks another instance of Rajasthan intelligence authorities uncovering alleged cross-border funding channels supporting espionage activity targeting Indian defence establishments. [5]
Sources: [8] CarWale · [5] The Indian Express