Bengaluru: Arrest of three accused in ₹7.11 crore robbery case, ₹5.76 crore recovered
Information from the Bengaluru City Police Commissioner
Bengaluru: Three accused involved in the robbery of ₹7.11 crore being transported for loading into ATM machines have been arrested by the Bengaluru South Division police.
Ravi, a supervisor with CMS Securities Custodian Vehicle, former employee Xavier, and Annappa Naik, a constable of Govindapura Police Station, have been arrested. An amount of ₹5.76 crore has been recovered from them. The arrests were made within 54 hours of the case being reported. According to the police, a total of six to eight people may have been involved in the crime. Search operations for the remaining accused are underway, Bengaluru City Police Commissioner Seemant Kumar Singh said at a press conference today.
Three months of planning
The accused had been planning the robbery for the past three months and had identified the location for the crime about 15 days in advance. On 19 November, around 12:48 pm, they arrived in a car with a fake number plate along the Ashoka Pillar–Jayanagar–Dairy Circle route. They intercepted the custodian vehicle, claimed to be RBI regulatory officials, and forced the security staff and custodian staff to get down. Another accused then sat inside the custodian vehicle and instructed the driver to move towards Dairy Circle, the Commissioner said.
The accused then forced the security and custodian staff into their car, seized their mobile phones, and dropped them near NIMHANS before fleeing. By the time the police received reliable information on the incident, about an hour and a half had passed. The investigation was challenging as the accused avoided areas with CCTV cameras, did not use mobile phones, and the robbed currency notes were not in serial order, the Commissioner added.
Once information on the incident was received, SPs of border districts of Bengaluru and police officials of neighbouring states were alerted. Eleven teams comprising around 200 officers and staff, under the guidance of two Joint Commissioners and led by two DCPs, were deployed to Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana. The three accused were subsequently arrested.
Cash reward announced
A total of ₹5.76 crore hidden in locations across the outskirts of Bengaluru and other areas has been recovered. Search operations for the remaining accused continue. A cash reward of ₹5 lakh has been announced for the investigation team, Commissioner Seemant Kumar Singh said.
Lapses on part of the security agency
As per RBI regulations, the cash-carrying vehicle must have a driver, two security personnel, and two custodian staff. The custodian vehicle must not repeatedly use the same route or schedule. Employees must be trained in cash-handling protocols, background checks must be conducted, and any employee dismissed by the custodian company must be reported to the police.
However, certain lapses have been found on the part of CMS Securities. A report will be sent to the Reserve Bank of India, the Commissioner added.
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Fadnavis rides motorcycle to Vidhan Bhavan, says PM Modi asked only for 'small sacrifices'
Mumbai (PTI): Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday rode a motorcycle to the Vidhan Bhavan here and later defended the Centre's austerity measures, saying Prime Minister Narendra Modi has only "asked people to make small sacrifices".
He also criticised the Opposition for creating "unnecessary controversy" over the matter, adding that questioning the PM's foreign visits - aimed at strategic alliances and economic benefits - was "sheer foolishness".
Fadnavis arrived at the Vidhan Bhavan in South Mumbai on a motorbike from his residence 'Varsha', with BJP leader and minister Ashish Shelar accompanying him, to attend the swearing-in of new members of the legislative council.
The move comes as part of the measures after PM Modi's appeal to conserve fuel and foreign exchange in view of the ongoing conflict in West Asia, which has disrupted global energy supplies. India relies heavily on West Asia for crude oil and gas imports.
On Wednesday, CM Fadnavis announced a series of austerity measures, including halving the number of vehicles in the convoys of his cabinet colleagues, and cancelling foreign tours of ministers and officials.
Addressing reporters here on Thursday, Fadnavis said the state government had curtailed convoys, cancelled avoidable foreign tours and decided against holding large government events for the next six months.
Targeting the Opposition, the CM said similar austerity measures had been adopted by previous governments, including during the tenures of former prime ministers Indira Gandhi and P V Narasimha Rao, as well as by former finance minister P Chidambaram in 2012.
"The Opposition needs to show some maturity. Countries across the world have taken even tougher decisions. The prime minister has only asked people to make small sacrifices while himself taking very tough decisions. Creating unnecessary controversy over this is not appropriate," he said.
Fadnavis said he travelled by motorcycle to send a message on fuel conservation, adding that symbolic actions by political leaders help spread awareness among people.
"When leaders act symbolically in this manner, the message reaches the people. That is why I came here on a motorcycle," he stressed.
The chief minister said all unnecessary foreign visits by officials and ministers had been stopped, and efforts were underway to reduce fuel consumption and save foreign exchange.
"We have reduced our convoys. Wherever petrol and diesel can be saved, wherever foreign exchange can be conserved, we are making every possible effort," he said.
Fadnavis said a major government event scheduled in Satara on Friday would, however, go ahead as it was planned in advance and expenditure had already been incurred.
He said around 25 lakh families would receive benefits valued at Rs 10,000 crore under the Centre's Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana during the programme.
"After this event, however, no large government programmes will be organised over the next six months," he added.
The CM also dismissed criticism on social media over PM Modi's foreign visits, saying overseas trips aimed at strategic alliances and economic gains for the country should not be equated with avoidable travel.
"The appeal is only against unnecessary foreign travel. It does not mean businessmen should cancel important overseas deals. Criticising the prime minister's foreign visits is sheer foolishness," he said.
