JAIPUR: Not every member was aware that they were participating in the biggest ever
bank robbery in Jaipur. The four kingpin of the gang had told the rest nine, who were rookies in the crime world, that they were going to Jaipur to rob a Hawala trader. Jaipur police revealed on Monday after arresting eight out of 13 members of the gang who were part of the foiled bank robbery.
On February 5, at least 13 armed robbers barged into a bank containing nearly Rs 925 crore. Before they could execute their plan the police constable inside the bank opened fire which forced them to flee the scene.
During interrogation, one of the main accused
Pramod Ram (23) said that gang leader
Hanuman Laden (24), who is on the run, had actually planned the robbery a month ago. “The four persons including Hanuman, Pawan and two from Jaipur (yet to be identified) were aware of the actual plan. However, while hiring nine others for the task they told them that they were only going to rob a Hawala trader in Jaipur,” said Prafful Kumar, additional commissioner of police (crime), while talking to TOI on Monday.
For the rest nine accused, the task was to slap the guard of the Hawala trader before robbing him, Kumar added.
Other arrested accused were identified as Prakash Jatia (24), Pawan Jatia (26),
Dharmendra Jatia (27), Dinesh Lohar (28) and
Jai Prakash Jatia (27), all natives of Jodhpur. “Two others identified as Harish (26) and Vikas (23) were arrested on Monday,” said an officer.
“When the nine excited robbers, who were unware of actual plan, jumped inside the bank they were told by the bank guard that there were four policemen inside. That’s when Sitaram, our constable, also opened fire,” said Kumar.
Robbers also had two different vehicles. “They had planned that after the robbery they would shift into another vehicle which was waiting for them at Bagru on the Jaipur-Ajmer highway,” said an officer.
When asked how police nabbed them, Vikas Pathak, deputy commissioner of police (crime), said, “Faulty tail light on the left side of SUV used by dacoits actually proved handy for us. The vehicle was traced near Bagru on Jaipur-Ajmer highway. We also collected CCTV footages of other toll plazas on the way. It was clear that the vehicle was moving towards Jodhpur”.
Hanuman Laden is still at large and has participated in various loots and robberies. “He is on our radar and would be arrested soon,” said an officer.
