AHMEDABAD: Gujarat’s Rajkot City Crime Branch has cracked the Rs 1.53-crore gold and silver robbery-cum-murder case within 12 hours, arresting nine accused in Rajasthan and recovering the entire stolen consignment.
The investigation has revealed a suspected insider link, with an employee of the company allegedly providing information that helped the gang target the jewellery consignment.
The robbery took place outside Tanvi Gold Enterprise's refinery unit, Tanvi Export India Limited, in the Aji GIDC area of Rajkot at around 8.15 pm on October 14. The accused allegedly intercepted a company employee carrying gold and silver ornaments on an Activa scooter, shot him in the chest when he resisted, and escaped with the valuables before police launched a search across state borders.
The deceased, 53-year-old Lalji Sardhara, succumbed to his injuries shortly after being rushed to a private hospital. His killing has turned the case into a murder investigation alongside the robbery, triggering a coordinated operation by the Rajkot Crime Branch and Rajasthan Police.
According to police, the nine arrests include the four alleged robbers who carried out the attack and other suspects accused of assisting in the crime. The gang members were apprehended in Rajasthan, with the operation involving the Pindwara police in Sirohi district and Udaipur district police.
Rajkot Crime Branch DCP Jagdish Bangarva said the accused were traced through technical surveillance and arrested with the assistance of Rajasthan Police. The stolen property has also been recovered, while arrangements were being made to bring the accused to Rajkot for further investigation.
"Yesterday evening, a robbery took place outside the Tanvi Gold refinery, which falls under the jurisdiction of Thorala police station. During the incident, the perpetrators opened fire on an employee named Laljibhai and looted gold and silver ornaments valued at approximately Rs 1.53 crore. Laljibhai, who sustained injuries, subsequently passed away while undergoing treatment," Bangarva said.
He added that the Rajkot City Crime Branch tracked the suspects in less than 12 hours through technical surveillance. Coordinated action by the Pindwara police in Sirohi district and Udaipur district police led to the arrests and recovery of the stolen valuables.
The suspected involvement of an insider has emerged as a crucial angle in the investigation. Police have found that an employee of Tanvi Gold Enterprise allegedly passed on information about the consignment, helping the accused plan the robbery. Investigators are examining the alleged role of the employee and how information about the movement of the valuables reached the gang.
The police are also investigating the roles played by the other arrested accused, including those suspected of facilitating the robbery or helping the gang after the shooting. Their individual roles and the sequence of events leading to the attack are expected to be examined further during interrogation.
According to the complaint filed by Bipin Virdiya at Thorala police station, the accused fled with valuables worth Rs 1,53,20,000. The stolen consignment comprised 946 grams of gold valued at Rs 1,48,90,000 and two kilograms of refined silver dust powder worth Rs 4,30,000.
Lalji Sardhara was carrying the consignment on his Activa scooter when three to four men arriving in a car allegedly attempted to snatch the bag. When he resisted, one of the attackers opened fire, hitting him in the chest. The accused then fled with the valuables.
CCTV footage of the incident has also surfaced and is expected to form part of the investigation into the robbery and shooting.
With the arrests extending the investigation from Gujarat to Rajasthan, the case highlights the cross-border dimension of organised robbery targeting high-value consignments. The recovery of the valuables and the arrests mark a major step in the investigation, but police questioning will now focus on establishing the precise roles of all nine accused, the alleged insider connection and the circumstances surrounding Sardhara's killing.
