Police probe intensifies in Rs 7.11-crore Bengaluru heist; suspects questioned, fake number plate traced

BENGALURU: South division police investigating the Rs 7.11-crore daylight heist are yet to get vital leads about the robbers, and are questioning more than 30 suspects, including the Cash Management Services (CMS) staff. However, two suspects identified as Hemanth and Sunil from Kalyan Nagar, near Banaswadi, were taken into custody near Chittoor in Andhra Pradesh, but there was no confirmation from police about their detention. The Toyota Innova in which the accused had escaped was found abandoned in Andhra Pradesh. Three vehicles -- the Innova, a Maruti Suzuki Zen and Maruti Suzuki WagonR -- were used by the accused to escape with the cash. Investigators found the Innova used in the crime had a fake number plate of a Maruti Swift, whose owner resides on Indiranagar 100 Feet Road in Bengaluru. The gang used an Uttar Pradesh registration number on the same Innova while leaving the city via Hoskote-Malur Road. Checks are being conducted at all city borders, including Hoskote, Chikkaballapur and Kolar, and CCTVs at tollgates and in the vicinity are also being checked. The gang hoodwinked police by splitting into teams and travelling in three cars. They were successful in making police track only the Innova, while actually escaping with the cash in the Zen and WagonR. Police are also not ruling out the possibility of the accused hiding in the city, and are also checking if the accused had visited Angala Parameswari temple in Tamil Nadu and Tirumala Tirupati temple. Bengaluru City Police Commissioner Seemant Kumar Singh was in Siddapura police station, where the case was registered, till late Wednesday night. The driver of the cash-in-transit-vehicle (GJ-01-HT-9173) and another CMS staffer were again taken to the scene of crime on Thursday. One team visited Bengaluru Central Prison in Parappana Agrahara, following clues that the accused conducted the operation from inside the jail premises. Around 18 teams have been formed to probe the case. Central Crime Branch (CCB) officials have also been also roped in for the investigation, which is being supervised by four Joint Commissioners of Police. More than 50 senior police officers in the rank of ACP and police inspectors are checking CCTV footage and other technical details on suspicion that the gang has fled to a neighbouring state. Police question Swift owner The accused had used registration number KA-03-NC-8052 for the Innova in which they initially escaped with the money from the city. During investigations, police found that the registration number belongs to a white Maruti Swift, and the owner is Gangadhar, a senior citizen who lives on Indiranagar 100 Feet Road. A traffic police officer visited Gangadhars residence soon after the daylight heist, and found the Swift with the same registration number parked inside the house compound. Police explained to him that his vehicles registration number was used by the gang that had robbed Rs 7.11 crore and escaped. Police checked the car details with the owner to rule out the possibility of any foul play. His statements were also recorded. Gangadhar (78) told the media that he doesnt know why his cars number plate was used, and police should investigate. Police must find out how the accused got my car number. A traffic police officer came to my residence on Wednesday afternoon, saying my car number had been misused. Later, I got to know through the media. The car is a 2018 model, I am the single owner and have driven around 45,000km. I rarely use my car, and had taken it to the showroom to change the old number plate to High Security Registration Plate. I am a heart patient and my blood pressure has shot up ever since I found out about the car number being used for the robbery. I did not sleep the entire night,he said. Police on the job: Home Minister G Parameshwara Meanwhile, Home Minister G Parameshwara told the media that police have taken all information, and are checking if the accused are from Karnataka or any other state. The registration number of a Maruti Swift was used for the Innova, and the owner has been contacted. After the robbery, the accused changed vehicles to transport the cash. Exact information about the vehicles in which the cash was taken is not yet known. The accused will be arrested soon, the minister said.