New Delhi, Dec 1 (IANS): A wanted mastermind behind Rs 1 crore robbery at an Axis Bank branch in Bihar was arrested from Delhi’s Connaught Place area where he was working as a security guard at a cafe, the police said on Friday.
The accused, who has been identified as Mani Kumar a.k.a. Manish (40), a resident of Muzaffarpur district in Bihar, had fled to Nepal after committing the crime and had returned to Delhi two months ago.
On August 1, four armed robbers had entered Axis Bank's Lalganj branch in Vaishali district and decamped with Rs 1 crore (approx).
The Deputy Commissioner of Police (North), Manoj Kumar Meena, said that on November 28, Delhi Police received specific information about Mani Kumar, who was previously involved in several bank robberies and dacoity cases.
“However, no further information about Mani Kumar's location was available with the informer. A manual verification process was initiated, checking approximately 30 parking lots, including at Parade Ground, Old Delhi and New Delhi Railway Stations, Dangal Maidan, ISBT, Hanuman Mandir, Mori Gate, ITO, Daryaganj etc,” said the DCP.
“Every person sleeping in these areas was questioned and verified during a 36-hour-long exercise,” he added.
A crucial lead emerged when at the underground parking lot in front of the G.B. Pant Hospital on Aruna Asaf Ali Road, the police found clothes hanging from a rope and a makeshift bed.
Further investigation revealed that a person from Bihar was sleeping on the makeshift bed, working as a security guard in Connaught Place.
“Three teams were formed to cover the area from Central Park to Outer Circle. The police checked every showroom, cafe and restaurant in both inner and outer circles, and finally identified Mani Kumar working as a security guard at a cafe on Janpath,” said the DCP.
After confirming the details, the police apprehended Mani Kumar. During interrogation, it was revealed that he had been involved in three bank robberies, and led a gang of criminals in the Muzaffarpur and East Champaran areas in Bihar. The gang comprised 15 to 18 individuals, all with a history of bank robberies.