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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Former India hockey coach Michael Nobbs dies
Melbourne (PTI): Former Australian hockey player Michael Nobbs, who coached the Indian men's team at the 2012 London Olympics, has died after a prolonged illness.
He was 72 years old and is survived by his wife Lee Capes, a former Australian women's international and daughter Kaitlin, who is a current Hockeyroos star.
"Hockey Australia extends its deepest condolences to Michael’s family, friends, former teammates, players and all those whose lives and careers were shaped by his contribution to hockey. He will be remembered as a proud Kookaburra, a respected professional, and a servant of the sport," Hockey Australia said in a statement.
Nobbs represented Australia as a defender, playing across the half-back line and at fullback, and was renowned for his reliability, fitness and professionalism. He earned 76 international caps for Australia between 1979 and 1985, scoring one goal, and was a member of one of the strongest eras in Australian men’s hockey, said Hockey Australia on its website in its tribute.
Nobbs was an integral part of the Australian teams that competed at the 1981 Hockey World Cup in Bombay and the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics.
While part of a generation widely regarded as one of Australia’s finest, he consistently held his place through hard work, discipline and trust earned from teammates and coaches, Hockey Australia wrote.
Nobbs took over the coaching of the Indian men's team in 2011 after it had failed to qualify for the Beijing Games in 2008. While India were brilliant in the qualifiers, the team finished last at the London extravaganza which also expedited the Australian coach's sacking.
Apart from India, Nobbs also coached Japan.
