In a major achievement, Haryana Police on Thursday claimed to have solved the daring bank heist in Sonepat by arresting three accused and recovering gold and silver jewellery weighing10 kg.
The Gohana Punjab National Bank lockers burglary case had shocked the residents of the district and attracted widespread attention due to innovative method of burglary.
A spokesman of Police Department said that those arrested included Surinder son of Jagdish, Balraj son of Dharampal and Satish son of Ram Krishan all residents of Village Katwal, Sonipat. The other accused who have been found involved in the crime during investigations are Rajesh son of Krishan resident of village Katwal, Sonipat and Mahipal resident of village Kasandi, Sonipat.
To maintain transparency, a committee of five locker holders as well as a Magistrate remained present during recovery of stolen property. Still photography and videography have also been conducted of the recovery of stolen jewellery. “The investigation is still on and efforts are being made to arrest the remaining accused persons and to recover rest of the stolen property,” the spokesman said.
He said that a large number of police teams worked day and night to pursue the clues received during investigation and solved the case within 48 hours.
In another related development, the owner of the abandoned house, through which a 125-feet-long tunnel was dug to the Punjab National Bank locker room, allegedly committed suicide after consuming some poisonous substance soon after he was booked, police said.
Sonepat Superintendent of Police Arun Nehra said the accused are being interrogated at Sonepat. He added that preliminary investigations reveal that the accused were notorious characters of the area, though they did not have any serious criminal history.
Police has recovered Rs 60,000 cash, two gold rings, one gold chain and ornaments from Surender. Nehra said based on statement of the accused, the owner of the abandoned house was also been booked, but he allegedly committed suicide.
"The owner of the house, Mahipal, actively supported and connived with the main accused and also played the role of the advisor in the incident. However, Mahipal consumed some poisonous tablets and was rushed to a hospital where he was declared as brought dead. A case of suicide had been registered," the SP said.
Cash and jewellery, worth crores of rupees, were stolen from the bank's Gohana branch in Sonepat on the intervening night of Saturday and Sunday and the incident came to light on Monday.
The robbers had dug a 125-feet-long and 2.5 feet wide tunnel to the bank from an house, lying unoccupied for past 4-5 years, to carry out a Bollywood style heist.
They randomly targeted the bank lockers and managed to break 77 of a total 350 lockers at the bank which is located in a residential-cum-commercial area of the town.
According to bank's Branch Manager, the branch was one of the oldest and was having nearly 35,000 account holders, with saving deposits of about Rs 125 crore.
After the incident, an Special Investigation Team was formed to probe the case and Haryana Director General of Police, S N Vashisth had announced a reward of Rs 10 lakh to the person who would give clue to the police about the heist.
The Prime Minister's Office had sent a senior security officer to Gohana Tuesday to help police in the investigation.
