Bank van robbers arrested

The Crime Branch have arrests three people, including a businessman, in connection with the Delhi Cantonment bank car robbery of Rs 34 lakh 10 days ago, reports Vijaita Singh.

The Crime Branch have arrested three people, including a businessman, in connection with the Delhi Cantonment bank car robbery of Rs 34 lakh 10 days ago. Another accused has already surrendered.

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The accused have been identified as Ratti Pal (42), Ashok Malik (30), Wazir (31) and Mohammad Israj (21). The police said that the gang might be involved in the Rs 30 lakh CR Park robbery earlier this month.

The car belonged to Mahamedha Cooperative bank in Ghaziabad. The bank employees had come to Delhi to withdraw Rs 50 lakh from the Punjabi Bagh branch of IndusInd bank. The car was on its way to the Janakpuri branch of the same bank when armed robbers intercepted it near Lajwanti Chowk and fled with the cash.

The police said that one of the security guards -- Ratti Pal posted at the Chawri Bazaar branch of Jammu and Kashmir Bank -- had given the tip off to a Sultanpuri-based businessman Ashok Malik. The Mahamedha staff used to deposit money in this bank and that’s how Pal came to know about the car carrying cash.

"Malik was in touch with Sudhir alias Kala, a local politician who is still absconding. Sudhir roped in Wazir and another accused Mohammad Israj for the robbery," said Anil Shukla, DCP (crime).

The police said that the accused had been planning to rob the bank car for about 15 days. "For three days, the gang members had trailed the bank car and monitored its movements," said Shukla.

One of the accused -- Wazir -- is involved in 16 cases of heinous crimes and had come out of jail only eight months ago.

The police said that they had recovered Rs 2.5 lakh, a 7.65 bore pistol, the Santro car used in the crime and four mobile phones from the possession of the accused.

The accused assembled at Ashok Mallik's factory and distributed the booty. The police said more people were involved in the robbery.