Bargarh: Within 48 hours after Rs 18 lakh had been looted from the office of a private finance company behind the Rotary Public School here, police swung into action and arrested five persons including two employees of the firm in this connection Sunday.
Police also recovered Rs 17.44 lakh, two motorbikes and mobile phones from their possession. Bargarh SP Mukesh Kumar Bhamu told this to the media.
The accused were identified as Chakdradhar Sunani, Rashmi Ranjan Sahu (masterminds) and Charan Tandi of Nuapada and his aides Anil Jagat and Tularam Takra.
A case was registered and the five were produced in Bargarh ADJM court. Later, they were sent to jail after the court rejected their bail pleas.
According to sources, Sunani and Sahu were employees of Bharat Financial Inclusion Limited, a non-banking finance company. They were aware of the functioning of the firm.
The two along with their friend Tandi prepared a blue print for the loot. Later, Tandi convinced Jagat and Takra about the idea by promising them high commissions.
Sunani along with other employees Rashmi Ranjan Sahoo and Chhabila Suna used to sleep inside the firm to guard the locker.
As per the plan, after everyone went to sleep, Sunani woke up on the pretext of attending to the nature’s call and opened the main door of the firm.
Meanwhile, Tandi, Jagat and Takra, who were waiting outside the firm wearing masks, stormed into the company and held the employees at gun-point. They also assaulted Sunani and Sahu so as to avoid any kind of suspicion.
Later, the three doused the employees on petrol and locked them inside a room, threatening them to set on fire if they raised an alarm. Later, they took the locker room and decamped with Rs 18.64 lakh.
After getting a complaint, a special team was formed to nab the miscreants. Police detained Sunani and Sahu who later spilled the beans during interrogation based on which the arrest was made.
According to reports, the company provided housing loans and had been functioning since 2008 from the rented house of Kulamani Mohapatra near Bhatli Chhak.
One such incident took place about a year back at a finance firm at Attabira in the district and some employees were involved in it.
PNN