Gold heist: Woman staffer held, 3 kg jewellery seized in Cuttack

CUTTACK: In a new turn to the sensational broad daylight robbery at Cuttack branch of India Infoland Ltd (IIFL), police on Wednesday nabbed a woman staffer of the non-banking finance company for her alleged involvement in the November 19 gold heist.

The accused is Nilima Lenka of Bhagatpur, who works in the company as a gold appraiser. With Nilima, the number of arrests in the sensational case has reached seven while two others - Lala Ranjan Ray and Kabi Prasad Pradhan - are absconding.

Prime accused Lala Amrit Sagar Ray, also a gold appraiser in IIFL, had allegedly hatched the heist plan along with Nilima, his friend Ranjan Behera and Kabi Prasad. Police did not reveal any details about Prasad. The four others who were arrested are Prakash Sahoo, Pabitra Behera, Raj Kishore Sahoo and Santosh Bhoi. All have been forwarded to court.

Police have so far seized gold ornaments weighing 3 kg, 500 grams of imitation ornaments, cash of Rs 5 lakh, one Audi car, two motorcycles  and the toy gun used in the crime from possession of the seven.Cuttack DCP Prateek Singh told mediapersons that during the course of investigation, it was found that Amrit and Nilima were allegedly misappropriating mortgaged gold ornaments from the company since a year and used the money acquired from it to maintain a luxurious lifestyle.

Amrit had placed some of the gold in Manappuram Gold Loan Finance Ltd where his brother Ranjan Ray is employed and had taken a loan against it for his personal gain besides selling some ornaments in the market. He had even bought a luxury car with the money, Singh said.

To cover up the crime, the two employees placed imitation jewellery in digital locker of the loan and investment centre of IIFL but as the extent of embezzlement was huge, they were apprehensive that the audit could blow the lid off it. This prompted them to plan the heist along with Amrit’s friend Ranjan and Prasad. They also roped in Rajkishore, Pradipta, Prakash and Santosh for the loot. 

On November 19, the miscreants forcibly entered the IIFL and committed the robbery by showing a toy revolver which was arranged by Amrit. After the loot, Rajkishore, Pradipta, Prakash and Santosh returned to Kissan Nagar via Salepur in two motorcycles. As per the information provided by police on Tuesday, the four criminals mortgaged a substantial quantity of the gold ornaments with the finance company where Amrit’s brother Ranjan is employed and hid the rest. Further investigation and recovery process is on, said the DCP.

DAYLIGHT LOOT 

They looted gold ornaments worth Rs 10 crore and Rs 4.30 lakh cash at gun-point from the Nayasark branch office.
The company had claimed that gold ornaments worth Rs 20 crore was looted