Bhubaneswar: Although the Commissionerate police’s web portal says that the cops have recovered Rs 10 lakh in connection with last year’s UCO Bank robbery case, reality says the amount of recovery is nil.
Moreover, even though six months have elapsed to the incident, the police have failed to arrest all the criminals involved in the loot from Bapuji Nagar branch of the bank here September 28 last year. The police have been sitting tight after arresting only two persons in this connection.
Notably, around five armed dacoits had looted Rs 13 lakh in cash and 1 kg gold ornaments at gunpoint from the bank branch, barely one km from Capital police station.
On the official web portal of Commissionerate police it has been mentioned that Rs 10 lakh in cash has been recovered in the dacoity case.
However, Bhubaneswar deputy commissioner of police (DCP) Satyabrata Bhoi denied of any recovery in terms of cash or gold.
“The investigation is underway. We have seized the truck used by the dacoits. But no cash or gold has been seized from them,” said the DCP.
“The person who brought the truck here was the mastermind of the bank robbery. He has been identified but is absconding now,” said a police official on condition of anonymity.
Police had formed three special teams comprising 28 personnel to investigate the case. These teams had fanned out to four states – Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh and Bihar.
Police have arrested only two of the accused – Vijaya Sah of Begusrai and Bhagwat Thakur of Vaishali district of Bihar.
During interrogation it came to light that they had come here by train and bikes. They also brought a truck and two motorcycles from Bihar.
Kuldeep Singh, OP
