Cash-van robbery: Role of past employees, van staff under lens

The incident took place on Wednesday as the van, along with several staff, arrived around 1pm near Bagu area, adjacent to the Crossings Republik Township, to fill cash in an ATM

Ghaziabad: A day after three unidentified men snatched a cash van carrying about ₹20 lakh in cash on National Highway – 9 near Crossings Republik Township during an armed robbery, police said on Thursday that the role of past employees and some cash van staff is under scrutiny and an FIR has been registered.

After the robbery, during which a shot was also fired, police found the looted van dumped on the Delhi-Meerut Expressway (DME) near Kushaliya, about 15 km from the incident site, ahead of Masuri. (Sakib Ali/HT Photo)

The incident took place on Wednesday as the van, along with several staff, arrived around 1pm near Bagu area, adjacent to the Crossings Republik Township, to fill cash in an ATM.

“We have substantial leads into the case, and the role of past employees of the cash-filling firm and some of the staff on the van is under scrutiny. So far, the firm has not provided us the exact amount of cash transacted during the day or the amount lost. It is suspected that the robbers dumped the van on the expressway and took another vehicle to move further with the cash,” Raj Karan Nayyar, additional police commissioner, told HT.

“As of now, the estimated amount lost during the robbery is about ₹20 lakhs in cash. The staff on the van are being questioned, and we have not given them a clean chit so far,” Nayyar added.

Officials said they have also sought details from the firm about the movement of the van.

Officials said an FIR under sections for robbery has been registered at the Crossings Republik police station. “The FIR is registered for robbery upon a complaint given by the firm. They are yet to provide us the details of the exact cash. Our teams are making extensive use of CCTVs and electronic surveillance to trace the suspects,” deputy commissioner of police (DCP) Dhawal Jaiswal told HT.

After the robbery, during which a shot was also fired, police found the looted van dumped on the Delhi-Meerut Expressway (DME) near Kushaliya, about 15 km from the incident site, ahead of Masuri.

Officials suspect the robbers fled with the cash in another vehicle waiting for them near the expressway. There were four staff in the van, and they had gone to the ATM in a lane while leaving the van with the driver on the highway, police said on Wednesday.

Soon, three armed men arrived afoot and fired a gunshot and snatched the van from the driver, officials said, adding that they drove the van on the DME (on the Delhi-Meerut carriageway) and dumped the vehicle near Kushaliya village.