Crime Branch arrests 4 for Kharghar armed robbery

Navi Mumbai crime branch arrested four men for an armed robbery at a Kharghar jewellery store. They looted ₹11.80 lakh in gold and opened fire, causing public chaos.

NAVI MUMBAI: The Navi Mumbai crime branch has nabbed four men involved in an armed robbery at a jewellery store and in opening fire in public in Kharghar. They were arrested on Thursday and produced before the court.

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The four accused are Mohammed Rizwan Mohammed Ali Shaikh (27) and Azhruddin Hussainodeen Shaikh (28), originally hailing from Surat in Gujarat and Taha Tanweer Parvez Sindhi (21) and Rajvir Rameshwar Kumavat (20), originally hailing from Udaipur in Rajasthan. Police informed that Taha did the recee and the remaining three executed the crime.

The three, wearing masks, helmets and jackets, had staged a daring heist in the jewellery store situated in sector 35 of Kharghar, on the night of July 29. Before escaping on a scooty, the trio had even opened fire causing chaos amongst the public. The entire incident was captured by an onlooker on his mobile phone.

They had looted 236 grams of gold ornaments worth ₹11.80 lakh.

Almost 18 days after the robbery, Navi Mumbai crime branch cracked the case with the help of multiple teams travelling across various states and conducting extensive technical evaluation of the CCTV footage and call data records.

“All of the ornaments stolen as well as two country-made pistols have been recovered. Lots of technical analysis as well as repeated visits to states like Gujarat and Rajasthan by multiple teams led to the case getting solved. The scooty on which the trio escaped didn’t have a number plate and was found abandoned at Nagpada along with the gold ornaments robbed from the store. The accused were trying to keep a low profile and had left for their respective hometowns,” said Additional Commissioner of Navi Mumbai Police, Deepak Sakore.

During investigation, it was revealed that Taha Tanweer Parvez Sindhi (21) did recee at the crime spot for a month before the other three executed the crime.

“All the accused were earlier involved in small-time smuggling of drugs or alcohol into states like Gujarat where it is strictly prohibited. The robbery was their attempt to do something big in one shot. The entire act was planned, involving residing in Kamothe for nearly six months and spending time at a relative’s place in Kharghar. One of the accused’s sisters resides in Kharghar and he used to visit her often to keep a close watch on jewelry stores,” ACP Ajay LAndge of crime branch said. The accused have been remanded to police custody till August 22.

While a case has been registered under section 311, 107,309 (41)(6) of BNS along with sections 3, 25 of Arms Act, police are trying to ascertain whether there are more persons involved, to include sections applicable to dacoity as well.