Police have arrested nine persons for allegedly robbing a trader of Rs 25 lakh here in Maharashtra, an official said.

The victim, hailing from Jaipur, had along with some persons set up a firm for purchase and sale of items like masks and sanitisers used for COVID-19 prevention, he said.

On February 26, the victim was on way to Mumbai from Jaipur for procuring the items when the accused, posing as policemen, intercepted his car on Mumbai-Ahmedabad highway in in Vasai area of Palghar, police inspector Pramod Badhak said on Wednesday.

They then took the trader to an isolated place where they allegedly robbed him of Rs 25 lakh, the official said.

The police had registered a case under Indian Penal Code Section 395 (dacoity) against unidentified persons.

Following a probe into the case and on the basis of various inputs, the police on Tuesday arrested nine persons, all residents of neighbouring Thane district, the official said.