BARGARH:At Leastfive persons of a family, including three women, were arrested by Bargarh Police on Wednesday for their alleged involvement in the heist at Bank of Baroda here on September 19 night. Police have recovered `35,72,910 cash and 2,386.08 grams of gold jewellery from them. Investigation is underway to trace the rest `3.91 lakh cash and 60 grams of gold jewellery that was stolen from the bank.
The accused are Sushanta Bagarty alias Hadu (21), his younger brother Nrupa (18), younger sister Banita Bagarty (20) and their mother Bishu Bagarty (50) - residents of Mastertikra under Town police limits - and his married elder sister, Mamata Mahanand (28). Mamata’s accused husband Tarani Mahanand is absconding.
Informing this to mediapersons, DIG (North region) Prateek Mohanty said all the five accused belong to one family. While the brothers were involved in the theft, the three women helped them in disposing of the stolen cash and jewellery.
According to reports, the elder sibling Sushanta had criminal antecedent and was also involved in a theft case at a water packaging unit, near Bank of Baroda branch. During investigation, keeping in view his criminal past, police had kept Sushanta under surveillance and had come to know that he had purchased an expensive mobile after the bank heist. Later, police swooped down on his house and recovered the money receipt of the mobile phone and detained Sushanta for interrogation. During interrogation, Sushanta broke down and confessed his involvement in the crime.
Sushanta and Nrupa had attempted burglary at the water packaging unit on September 19. However, when they could not lay their hands on anything, they broke into the Bank of Baroda branch and decamped with the cash and jewellery.
Later they concealed the cash and jewellery in the rented house of their sister Mamata at Pradhanpali, with the help of their younger sister, Banita and mother, Bishu.
The DIG said they would bring the accused on remand for further interrogation. He added that the bank authorities were negligent on their part and there was no double lock. Cash and jewellery were kept in almirah instead of vault, keys of the bank were left unattended, CCTV was unplugged and alarm system was not working. He said after the investigation is over, the police would contemplate further action.
The miscreants barged into the local branch of Bank of Baroda by breaking the window pan on September 19 night and decamped with the amount from the strong room. The bank was to be shifted to a nearby building on Wednesday. Apart from the iron chest and other valuables in the strong room, all other furniture and documents were already shifted to the new office.