The five gangsters who were arrested on Monday for looting a gas agency cashier after shooting him told the police that they had plans to target an ATM van in the City Center area sometime during the first week of November. They further told the police that they were planning to pose as police personnel to facilitate the robbery. They had also bought two handcuffs online to handcuff the security guard and the driver.
Police from two police stations in the city and a police party from Madurai apart from the Crime Branch sleuths have been interrogating the robbers after getting them on remand. During interrogation it was learnt that the clothes shop situated at Bada was bought by Naveen Sharma for his girlfriend who was running it. It was also revealed that the gang members used to regularly meet at the shop to plan future robberies. When the police questioned Naveen’s girlfriend about it she feigned ignorance and told them that she knew little or nothing about the robberies. She further told the police that she was under the impression that the arrested robbers were actually recovery agents. However she admitted that it was Naveen who had bought her the shop and also the one who is taking care of her expenses in the city. The police are verifying her version.
The police have also got information about the various properties the gang members had purchased in different parts of the city. They are now preparing a list of such properties so as to make arrangements to attach them. It was also learnt that one of the gang members had purchased 10 tolas of gold and has kept it in the locker of Muthoot Finance. It is also learnt that a money lender who had dealings with the gang members has been arrested and the police are interrogating him about the dealings.
One of the gang members, Raja Valmiki is still at large and police parties have been sent to UP and Delhi to arrest him.