Fake I-T raid: Police arrest mastermind behind robbery

KOCHI: The police on Monday arrested the prime accused and mastermind behind the robbery at the house of a jewellery manufacturer in Aluva stealing 394g of gold worth `19 lakhs posing as Income Tax officers in June this year. The arrested person, Haris P K, 52, of Kannur, who had been absconding for the last three months, is the first accused in the case.

Since the incident, Haris had been constantly shifting his location to evade arrest. He had stayed in New Delhi, various parts of Maharashtra including Mumbai, and Chennai for the past three months. “Recently, he returned to his native place in Kannur. Following a tip-off, a team from Ernakulam Rural Police reached Kannur and arrested the accused,” a police officer said.

Haris was also involved in the abduction of a carrier who smuggled gold from abroad at Kothuparambu. “We have received information that the stolen gold is in his possession. To trace the gold he has to be questioned for which we have sought his custody from the court,” a police officer said.