Bank employee among three arrested for plotting loot

Central Chronicle News
Bhilai, Oct 27: With the arrest of three persons including a bank employee, police claimed to have solved the sensational armed loot incident which occurred in Polsaypara area of Durg on October 13. The accused have confessed involvement in another loot incident which occurred three months ago. A lady and a man accused are at large.
Addressing media persons here at the Police Control Room on Wednesday, SSP Badri Narayan Meena informed that an employee of Indian Bank identified as Rahul Chauhan (36) was looted by three armed ruffians at Polsaypara of Durg on October 13. Rahul was carrying Rs 15 lakh from Santrabai Branch to Kasarideeh Branch on his scooty. The accused looted the vehicle along with cash on the gun point.
Taking the matter into serious cognizance, a special team was constituted for investigating the matter. Inspector Vishal Sone (SHO, Chhawani), Inspector Jitendra Verma (SHO, Mohan Nagar), Inspector Gavrav Tiwari (I/c Cyber Cell) and Sub Inspector Dinesh Kumar (SHO, Padmanabhpur Chowki) were included in this investigation team. The team minutely examined the CCTV footages and gathered information about the suspects. It was discovered that the accused had used a Bajaj Pulsar bike with a fake registration plate. The team quizzed the staff of the bank branches and started maintaining vigil on the suspicious staff.
The team also collected information about other suspects, criminals and explored the possibilities of involvement of inter-state gangs also. Hotels, lodges, dhabas were checked and information of visitors was examined.
In this sequel, police received a tip off regarding some suspects who were staying in Bhilai and had gone to their native place in Bihar after the incident. Police traced their whereabouts after which the suspects Rajiv Ranjan Goswami, Sunil Pandey and Atish Goswami were taken in custody. During interrogation, they confessed to have committed the crime.
Rajiv Ranjan (36) is a native of Pipra, Gopalganj, Bihar and was staying in Sector 7 for the last 10 years. Earlier he was working at a liquor shop and later he started working as contract labour in Bhilai Steel Plant. During the lockdown, he started working as a delivery boy for Zomato. In the meanwhile, he came in contact with Sunil Pandey (25), who works in Kasarideeh Branch of Indian Bank. Sunil is a native of Allahabad and was working as daily wage worker in the bank for the last five years. Sunil Pandey had given information to Rajiv Ranjan that Rahul Chauhan is going to visit the Main Branch of Indian Bank for bringing cash.
Rajiv Ranjan utilised this information and plotted the conspiracy of loot. His nephew Atish Goswami (20), who was staying in Bhilai for studies, along with his friend Nitin Singh Rajput assisted him in committing the crime. Atish was the one who was riding the bike while committing the crime.
The accused further confessed to have looted Rs 80000 cash from an old man on July 09 when he was returning back home after withdrawing cash from the bank. Nitin Singh Rajput (25) a resident of Gopalganj Bihar and Anita Goswami (32 wife of Rajiv Ranjan Goswami are still at large. SSP Meena further informed that the CCTV cameras installed at Vijay Sports, Memsahab Garments, Ujala Bhavan, BIT College, DAV School and Balaji Caterers provided significant clues about the suspects. He urged the people to install CCTV cameras at their houses and establishments as it could be useful in crime prevention and investigation.