Trouble increases: Evidence piles up against 7 policemen terminated in ₹1.40Cr robbery case

Varanasi: Further trouble is brewing for seven policemen who were suspended on June 5 and then terminated from service on June 10 on the charge of criminal involvement in a case of robbing Rs 1.40 crore from an agent of a Gujarat-base trading firm in Baijnattha area under Bhelupur police station in the district on May 29.Four members of the gang of robbers arrested so far have divulged many facts, which will increase trouble for the terminated cops. Officials said that as the criminal involvement of seven policemen has become clear and more evidence is coming to light, the terminated cops would also be accused in the robbery case lodged in this connection and may land in jail soon.Regarding the role of the policemen in this robbery case, additional CP (crime & headquarters) Santosh Kumar Singh on Saturday said, “Initially, laxity in duty by these cops, who kept senior officials in the dark about the incident, had come to light after which they were suspended on June 5. But, when the CCTV footage cleared that they were present at the spot, their criminal involvement in the robbery case was exposed and they were terminated from service on June 10.”Singh said that the kingpin of the gang involved in this robbery, including Ajit Mishra of Tilmapur in Varanasi, Jagdish Patel of Gujarat and car driver Sagar, are still absconding and several teams are carrying out search for their early arrest.Commissioner of police Ashok Mutha Jain said that a detailed investigation in the robbery of Rs 1.40 crore on May 29 followed by recovery of Rs 93 lakh from an abandoned car in Baijnattha area is in progress. “Apart from necessary action taken against the cops involved in this episode, four persons have been arrested so far,” he added.A Gujarat-based firm dealing in agricultural products has its office in Shankaracharya Colony in Baijnattha area in Varanasi. As per the complaint made by firm’s employee Vikram Singh, his office was raided by Ajit along with 12-14 armed personnel who fled with Rs 1.40 crore of the firm.Later, Rs 92.92 lakh of the looted money was recovered from an abandoned car. On Vikram’s complaint, Bhelupur police lodged an FIR against Ajit and his accomplices had been lodged under section 395 (dacoity), 147 (rioting), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 504 (insulting intentionally to provoke) and 506 (criminal intimidation) on June 5.CP, who had assigned DCP Kashi to probe the matter, suspended seven policemen, including SHO Bhelupur Ramakant Dubey, Khojwa outpost in-charge Sushil Kumar, sub-inspectors Mahesh Kumar, Utkarsh Chaturvedi and constables Mahendra Kumar Patel, Kapil Dev Pandey and Shivchandra on June 5. With the progress in investigation, services of the seven cops were terminated.